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THIS  IS  A 

STATE  TEXT  BOOK 

It  is  the  duty  of  Pupils  to  assist 
the  State  by  guarding  and  using 
this  book  with  care,  so  that  it  may 
yield  good  service.  Only  one  book 
can  be  given  to  a  pupil.  He  should 
cover  it  with  paper  or  other  pro- 
tective material.  If  he  loses,  dam- 
ages, or  destroys  it,  he  should  re- 
place it  at  his  own  expense.  It  is 
the  duty  of  Teachers  to  encourage 
and  enforce  these  provisions. 


SCHOOL   DISTRICT, 

in County. 

,    191__. 

Date  of  issue  : 


Teachers'  Manual 
of  Spelling 


BY 

GRACE  M.  FERNALD,  Ph.  D. 


•  •    n  \  •    »     •     » 

•  ••»,»•       •  • 

O  •         »         •     •  o 


•  » 


^-1      ej»»»r,,         •!•»    *•,... 


Copyright,  1918 

By  the  People  of  the  State  op  California 

Copyright,   1918 

By  Grace  M.  Fernald 


»  1 


PREFACE 

The  complaint  is  very  common  today  that  the  present  age 
is  one  of  poor  spellers.  Business  men  particularly  are  prone 
to  lament  the  fact  that  our  present  system  of  education  does 
not  turn  out  children  as  skilled  in  the  intricacies  of  English 
spelling  as  were  those  of  the  good  old  days.  These  same 
business  men  further  stipulate  that  the  particular  point  of 
defect  in  our  present  system  is  lack  of  thoroughness  and  drill. 

The  truth  is  that  many  children  spell  as  well  as  children 
have  ever  spelled  and  acquire  their  mastery  of  words  in  a 
much  shorter  time  and  with  much  less  effort  than  would  have 
been  possible  under  the  old  formal  system  of  education. 
Actual  tests  of  spelling  ability  show  that  the  average  skill  in 
large  groups  is  about  the  same  today  as  that  of  similar  groups 
twenty-five  years  ago.  It  is  true  that  every  class  in  almost 
every  school  has  a  certain  percentage  of  disgracefully  poor 
spellers,  and  that  these  children  drag  through  the  seventh 
and  eighth  grades  and  often  through  high  school  without 
ever  really  learning  to  spell.  As  a  matter  of  fact  there  has 
never  been  a  time  in  our  educational  history  when  this  has 
not  been  more  or  less  true.  If  our  modern  psychology  has  the 
value  we  claim  for  it,  it  should  have  given  us  methods  by 
which  all  children  of  normal  mentality  could  be  taught  to 
spell. 

The  reasons  why  we  still  have  so  many  spelling  failures 
seem  to  be:  First,  that  certain  psychological  fallacies  have 
crept  into  our  theory  of  teaching  spelling,  and,  second,  that  the 
erroneous  supposition  has  been  made  that  modern  methods 
eliminate  the  need  for  drill. 

This  book  is  not  theoretical;  it  is  the  result  of  five  years' 
experimental  work  with  the  problem.  Over  four  hundred 
very  poor  spellers  have  been  carefully  examined  and  finally 
taught  to  spell.     We  have  not  failed  in  a  single  case  in  which 


n  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 

the  individual  was  not  feeble-minded.  In  fact,  we  have 
reached  the  point  where  we  are  confident  that  anyone  who  is 
not  actually  deficient  mentally  can  be  taught  to  spell. 

Of  the  persons  studied,  six  were  instructors  in  colleges  or 
normal  schools,  seventy-five  w;ere  normal  school  students, 
twenty-eight  were  high  school  students,  five  were  adults  not 
connected  with  the  schools,  and  the  rest  were  grade  school 
children.  Throughout  the  last  two  years  the  work  has  been 
done  with  groups  of  children  in  classes. 

In  the  individual  work  with  special  cases,  the  pupil  was 
first  tested  to  determine  his  general  mentality,  as  mental 
deficiency  would  be  one  possible  cause  of  his  inability  to  spell. 
This  step  was  omitted  when  the  mentality  was  obviously  of  a 
high  type.  In  case  the  pupil  proved  to  be  mentally  normal, 
special  tests  were  made  to  determine  whether  he  possessed  any 
striking  mental  peculiarities.  These  tests  were  given  with 
the  idea  that  there  must  be  some  difference  between  the 
normally  bright  child  who  works  hard  and  yet  fails  to  get  his 
spelling  and  the  normally  bright  child  who  gets  it  easily. 

The  second  division  of  our  work  consisted  in  the  attempt 
to  teach  the  individual  to  spell.  The  author  is  indebted  to 
the  city  teachers  of  Los  Angeles  and  Pasadena  for  assistance 
in  testing  out  methods  and  especially  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
MacKenzie  and  Mrs.  Clara  Preston,  of  the  training  depart- 
ment of  the  Los  Angeles  State  Normal  School,  for  suggestions 
concerning  the  incorporation  of  these  methods  into  the  plan 
for  general  class  instruction. 


CONTENTS 


Page 
CHAPTER  1.     Psychological  Processes  Involved  in  Spelling. _      1 
Perception,  p.  1.     Image,  p.  1 — Types  of  Images, 
p.  2 ;  Imagery  tests,  p.  3.     Habit  Formation,  p.  8. 


CHAPTER  2.     Application    of    Psychological    Principles    to 

Spelling 

Perception,  p.  10 — Conditions  of  Presentation,  p. 
10 ;  Errors  in  Presentation,  p.  10.  Image,  p.  11 
— Type  of  Memory  Image  (Visual,  Auditory, 
Motor),  p.  12;  Oral  Spelling,  p.  13.  Habit  For- 
mation, p.  16. 


10 


CHAPTER  3. 


Method  of  Teaching  Spelling 

First  Work  in  Spelling  Coincident  with  First 
Work  in  Writing,  p.  18.  Imagery  Tests,  p.  19. 
Steps  in  Teaching  Phonetic  Words,  p.  20.  Steps 
in  Teaching  Nonphonetic  Words,  p.  23. 


18 


CHAPTER  4. 


General  Conditions  Favorable  for  Learning 

New    Words 26 

Discovery  of  Poor  Spellers,  p.  2G ;  Adaptation  to 
Changed  Methods,  p.  26 ;  Home  Study  Properly 
Done,  p.  27 ;  Spelling  Habits,  p.  27 ;  Development 
of  Individual  Methods,  p.  27;  Use  of  Dictionary, 
p.  28 ;  Written  Spelling  Match,  p.  28. 


CHAPTER  5.     Spelling   Vocabularies. 


Experimental  Word  List — Ayres  List,  p.  30; 
Jones  List,  p.  32 ;  Chico  List,  p.  33 ;  Groves  List, 
p.  33 ;  Cook-0'Shea  List,  p.  33. 


30 


APPENDIX.     Summary    34 


CHAPTER  1 

PSYCHOLOGICAL  PROCESSES  INVOLVED  IN 

SPELLING 

The  psychological  processes  involved  in  learning  to  spell  are 
perception  and  imagery,  and  their  changes  incidental  to  habit 
formation. 

PERCEPTION! 

Perception  may  be  defined  as  the  consciousness  of  an 
object  present  to  sense — of  an  object  w/iij-h' is  directly  aiim- 
ulating  some  sense-organ,  as  the  eye  ot3  the ,  ear,  Perception 
lasts  only  so  long  as  the  stimulus  remains.  ,  We  pb^c^ivfi'thfe 
friend  who  stands  before  us,  the  table  at  which  we  are  seated, 
the  hand  organ  playing  under  our  windows,  or  the  book  we 
touch  in  the  dark. 

IMAGE 

After  the  object  has  been  removed,  we  no  longer  perceive  it 
but  we  may  still  recall  it  in  the  form  of  an  image.  The  image 
thus  represents  some  object  which  is  not  present  to  sense. 
For  example,  we  perceive  the  house  in  which  we  live  as  we 
look  at  it,  but  we  have  an  image  of  it  when  we  think  of  it 
afterwards.  In  the  same  way  most  people  get  visual  images 
of  the  faces  of  people  they  have  seen  or  of  any  familiar 
objects.  We  perceive  music  while  it  is  being  played  and  have 
an  auditory  image  of  it  when  we  hear  the  air  in  our  minds 
afterwards. 

It  should  be  noted  that  the  term  image  is  used  to  designate 
any  of  the  various  forms  in  which  we  may  think  an  object, 


'A  more  detailed  study  of  perception  may  be  found  in  any  standard 
psychology.  It  should  be  noted  that  there  are  imaginal  elements  in  any 
perception,  but  that  these  elements  are  always  simultaneously  associated 
with  sensory  elements  and  the  whole  referred  to  some  external  object. 
In  the  image  or  idea  the  whole  experience  is  imaginal. 


2  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 

whether  we  visualize  it,  think  it  in  sound  terms  or  get  a  touch 
or  kinaesthetic*  (motor)  after-consciousness  of  it. 

TYPES  OF  IMAGES 

1.  Reproductive  and  Productive:  Images  may  be  either 
reproductive  or  productive.  The  reproductive  image,  as 
involved  in  the  initial  stage  of  spelling,  is  one  which  repre- 
sents, in  their  proper  order,  all  the  elements  of  some  past  per- 
ception; that  is,  the  image  represents  the  details  of  the 
object  exactly  in  the  order  in  which  we  experienced  them 
when  the  object  was  present  to  sense.  We  recall  a  picture 
Whk!h  we  iia'vjs:  s^en,*  or  a  song  we  have  heard,  or  the  delicate 
lekves  of'sbmfe'Hbwer  which  we  have  touched,  and  our  image 

/V^fe' I'^^lrp/Juctife. '  T'he  'productive  image  is  one  which  repre- 
sents some  object  which  we  have  never  experienced  as  a  whole 
in  perception.  The  elements  are  those  of  our  past  perceptual 
experiences  reorganized  in  such  a  way  that  the  total  object  is 
new.  The  painter  who  has  a  vision  of  some  picture  which 
differs  from  anything  he  has  ever  seen ;  the  novelist  who 
creates  new  characters;  the  inventor  who  thinks  things,  not 
as  they  are,  but  as  they  might  be — each  experiences  a  pro- 
ductive image. 

2.  Sensory  Types  op  Image  :t  Individuals  differ  in  the 
sensory  content  of  both  the  productive  and  the  reproductive 
image;  some  people  recall  past  experiences  or  think  new 
objects  in  terms  of  visual  images,  others  in  terms  of  auditory 
images,    and    still    others    in    touch-movement    terms.     These 

*By  kinsesthetic,  we  mean  the  consciousness  of  our  own  movements, 
in  terms  of  muscular,  tendinous  and  joint  sensations.  We  may  nave  a 
*iip-motor"  image  of  a  word,  for  example,  when  we  are  conscious  ot  the 
movements  of  our  lips  in  forming  the  words,  or  a  "hand-motor  image 
of  the  word  when  we  are  conscious  of  the  movements  the  hand  makes 
in  writing  the  word.  There  is  some  question  whether  the  actual  move- 
ments are  not  always  reinstated  when  we  have  kinsesthetic  consciousness, 
so  that  the  experience  would  be  sensation  rather  than  image. 

tThe  use  of  the  word  "type"  in  connection  with  individual  differences 
In  form  of  image  has  been  criticized  by  certain  psychologists  but  still 
seems  the  best  descriptive  term  we  have.  It  should  be  clearly  under- 
stood that  the  images  of  most  individuals  may  be  designated  as  ot  tne 
mixed  type,  but  that  certain  individuals  tend  to  think  more  specifically 
In  one  form  of  imagery  than  in  any  of  the  other  forms. 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING  3 

types  we  designate  as  visual,  auditor}^,  or  tactile-motor 
(tactile-kin^sthetic — see  page  2).  The  images  of  a  great 
many  people  are  of  what  we  call  the  mixed  type;  that  is,  the 
images  are  of  more  than  one  type,  as  auditory-visual,  auditory- 
motor,  etc.  For  example,  in  recalling  music,  some  people  get  a 
visual  image  of  the  notes  as  written  on  the  sheet ;  others  recall 
the  sound  of  the  music ;  others  feel  themselves  making  the 
movements  of  playing;  still  others  get  a  mental  picture  of  the 
notes,  hear  the  air  in  their  minds,  and  at  the  same  time  feel 
themselves  making  the  notes  or  feel  the  movements  about  the 
throat  as  if  they  were  singing  the  notes.  ^ 

In  making  this  matter  clear  to  both  children  and  adults  we 
have  found  the  performance  of  imagery  tests  particularly 
valuable.  We  wish  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  the  knowledge 
of  the  psychology  of  imagery  is  essential  for  an  undenstanding 
of  the  problem.  The  following  tests  have  been  found  partic- 
ularly good  for  determining  the  imagery  type  in  the  case  of 
either  adults  or  children. 

IMAGERY  TESTS 

1.  Recall  of  Common  Objects:  First,  simply  recall  any 
objects  which  are  not  now  present — people,  articles  of  furni- 
ture, or  scenery.  Read  a  description  of  a  person  or  object  and 
see  what  goes  on  in  your  mind. 

2.  Memory  for  Objects:  One  very  good  test  for  small 
children  is  the  old  game  of  memory  for  objects.  Place  twenty 
objects  on  a  table  and  cover  with  a  cloth.  When  the  children 
are  ready,  remove  the  cloth  for  from  twenty  to  thirty  seconds, 
while  the  children  attempt  to  fix  the  objects  in  their  minds. 
Cover  the  table  again  and  let  the  children  write  the  names  of 
the  objects  or  draw  pictures  of  them. 

Then  ask  the  children  how  they  remember  the  objects, 
whether  they  get  pictures  of  them  in  their  minds  or  say  the 
names  of  the  objects  over  to  themselves.     The  writer  was  at 


4  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 

first  very  skeptical  concerning  the  ability  of  children  to  per- 
form such  introspection,  but  she  has  been  forced  to  admit 
that  children  are  capable  of  giving  remarkably  accurate 
information  concerning  their  own  imagery  processes.  The 
practical  results  alone  would  justify  this  conclusion. 

3.  CoLviN  AND  Myers  Imagery  Tests:  (Colvin,  S.  S.  and 
]\Iyers,  E.  J.  The  Development  of  Imagination  in  School 
Children,  etc.  Psy.  Rev.  Monog.  SuppL,  Vol.  11,  No.  44, 
1909,  85-126.)  For  the  children  above  the  third  grade  the 
following  tests  suggested  by  Professors  Colvin  and  Myers,  and 
somewhat  modified  for  our  present  purpose,  serve  as  excellent 
diagnostic  tests.  Figure  1  is  drawn  in  heavy  crayon  on  a 
sheet  of  cardboard.  The  children  make  a  copy  of  this  on  their 
papers.  On  a  screen  22  by  28  inches  is  a  similar  figure,  and 
in  each  of  the  angles  and  spaces  are  ''meaningless"  characters 
(Fig.  2).  The  children  are  allowed  to  look  at  Figure  2  for 
twenty  seconds  if  in  a  grade  below  the  fifth,  and  for  fifteen 
seconds  if  in  or  above  the  fifth  grade.  The  screen  is  then 
removed  and  the  children  are  asked  to  make  their  figures  look 
like  the  second  figure. 

The  same  experiment  is  repeated  with  Figure  3. 


R  4M        AOV 

Fig.  1  Fig.  2  Fig.  3 

In  each  case  the  child  is  asked  to  discover  if  possible 
whether  the  memory  process  is  in  terms  of  visual  or  auditory 
or  motor  imagery — whether  he  gets  a  ** picture"  of  the  figure 
or  repeats  the  names  of  the  parts  to  himself  or  feels  himself 
making  the  figures.  In  some  cases  the  lip  and  hand  move- 
ments are  evident  to  the  experimenter. 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 


The  following  test  is  particularly  valuable  as  an  intro- 
spective exercise  for  older  children  and  adults: 

A  paper  is  prepared  with  the  following  letters  printed  upon 
it  in  the  form  of  a  square  (see  Fig.  4).  The  pupil  is  shown 
a  card  with  Fio^ure-  5  on  it. 


MXCS 

SCXM 
XMSC 
CSMX 


X 


(M    Xl|C    S| 


M 


X 


C    XlfM 
M    SJ  IC 


[C    SJIM    XI 


Fig.  4 


Fij:.  5 


Fig.  6 


Careful  explanation  is  made  of  the  fact  that  certain  angles 
belong  to  certain  letters,  for  example,  ^J  belongs  to  S,  so 
that  S  would  be  enclosed  as  follows,    SJ.     In  the  same  way, 

I  belongs  to  X,  making  it    xl,  etc. 

When  it  is  certain  that  the  pupil  understands  Figure  5,  he 
is  told  to  learn  it,  and  allowed  as  long  a  time  as  he  wishes  for 
the  process.  When  he  is  sure  that  he  knows  Figure  5,  Figure 
4  is  substituted  for  it  and  he  is  told  to  enclose  the  letters  in 
the  angles  that  belong  to  them.  He  is  instructed  to  go 
straight  down  the  first  row,  cover  that  as  soon  as  he  has  fin- 
ished it,  and  proceed  to  the  second.  It  is  very  important  that 
the  child  cover  the  row  as  soon  as  he  has  filled  in  the  figure, 
or  he  will  be  sure  to  copy  from  the  figures  already  completed. 
Figure  6  shows  the  letters  properly  enclosed,  and  it  should 
not  be  shown  to  the  child  until  the  test  is  over. 

The  test  is  difficult,  as  the  child  must  not  only  retain  the 
image,  but  he  must  also  analyze  it.  While  the  image  is  visual 
in  many  cases,  the  test  is  almost  certain  to  bring  out  auditory 
imagery  if  the  pupil  ever  uses  it.  Lip  and  hand  movements 
in  many  cases,  suggest  to  the  teachers  the  presence  of  the 
motor  consciousness  (kinaestheic). 


6 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 


4.  Code  Test:  The  code  test,  which  was  first  used  in  its 
simpler  form  by  the  Child  Study  Department  of  the  Chicago 
City  Schools,  makes  a  very  good  imagery  test.  For  the 
younger  children,  eight  to  thirteen  years,  we  have  used  the 
test  in  the  following  form: 


1 

4 

7 

2 

5 

8 

3 

6 

9 

Fig,   7 


Fig.  8 


As  the  child  watches,  Figure  7  is  drawn.  Separate  parts 
of  the  figure  are  then  drawn  until  the  child  is  able  to  point  to 
the  same  part  of  the  whole  figure.^  Numbers  are  then 
made  as  in  Figure  8.  After  the  child  has  said  the  numbers 
to  himself  once,  the  figure  is  taken  away;  each  part  of  it  is 
drawn^  and  the  child  is  asked  to  put  the  correct  number  in 
each  part.  The  result,  after  the  child  has  put  the  numbers 
in  should  be  as  follows: 


528     196437 


In  performing  this  experiment,  for  the  purpose  we  have  in 
mind,  it  is  more  important  that  the  child  be  able  to  describe 
the  method  by  which  he  recalls  the  original  figure  than  it  is 
for  him  to  make  no  errors.  Any  one  making  the  test  can 
readily  determine  whether  he  recalls  a  particular  number  by 
getting  a  picture  of  it  in  his  mind,  by  saying  the  numbers  to 
himself,  or  by  feeling  himself  make  the  figure. 


^NoTE. — The  parts  are  drawn  as  follows :    n^DCUmLJ^L. 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 

A  more  complicated  form  of  the  same  test  is  the  code 
wrhich  was  used  first  in  the  Psychopathic  Institute  of  Chicago. 
(Psy.  Rev.  Monog.  SuppL,  Vol  13,  page  33.) 

The  following  figures  are  drawn  while  the  child  watches: 


ya 

^^ 

/ 

A 

^ 

/C 

f 

>d 

nP 


71 


.f 


/^ 


^\^ 


The  child's  attention  is  called  to  the  fact  that  the  letters 
are  in  the  figures  in  alphabetical  succession  and  that  every 
other  figure  has  a  dot  in  each  part.  The  child  is  then  asked 
what  letter  |^  this  would  stand  for,  and  this  IT*  .  When 
these  two  letters  have  been  identified  as  /(  and  g,  the  teacher 
writes  "caught  a  spy"  in  the  code  as  follows: 

njALE  >J  VLA 

The  child  has  the  key  figure  before  him  while  this  is  being 
done.  It  is  well  to  have  the  child  point  to  each  part  of  the. 
figure,  as  the  experimenter  makes  the  letter  in  code.  The 
figure  is  then  removed  and  the  child  is  asked  to  write  the 
words  "come  quickly"  with  no  other  guide  than  his  memory 
Image  of  the  figure.     The  result  should  be  ajs  follows: 

nnuD  izAi     vi\~M\ 

Any  individual  above  the  age  of  from  fourteen  to  sixteen 
years  should  write  these  two  words  in  code  in  from  six  to  ten 
minutes,  without  more  than  two  errors.  The  significance  of 
the  test  is  lost  if  the  child  has  had  previous  practice  in  its 
performance.  The  control  image  may  be  visual  or  auditory 
)r  kinaesthetic.     The  test  is  particularly  likely  to  bring  out 


8  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 

any  auditory  imagery  of  which  one  is  capable.  It  is  fre- 
quently found  that  individuals  use  auditory -motor  imagery 
while  they  are  learning  the  code,  but,  if  they  continue  the  use 
of  it  until  they  are  quite  familiar  with  it,  visual  imagery 
comes  to  be  the  predominating  type.  As  in  all  cases  of 
imagery,  the  only  way  to  determine  the  form  of  the  child's 
image  is  through  the  child's  description  of  it. 

5.  Writing  Words  Backward  or  Learning  Foreign  or 
New  Words  :  In  order  to  determine  the  type  of  image  used  in 
learning  words,  the  child  is  asked  to  carry  out  the  following 
directions,  and  is  asked  the  following  questions: 

Say  to  the  child  ''Think  of  any  well  known  word  of  thre.e 
or  more  syllables.  Now  write  it  backward  from  memory." 
For  example,  "separate,"  written  backward,  would  be 
"etarapes. "  "Do  you  see  the  letters  or  syllables;  do  you  say 
them  to  yourself;  do  you  feel  yourself  writing  them?" 

Finally,  ^t  the  child  to  report  what  he  does  in  learning  a 
new  word,  whether  he  pictures  it,  says  the  words  or  letters  to 
himself,  or  feels  himself  writing  words.  Have  him  observe 
what  goes  on  in  his  mind  if  he  learns  a  word  in  some  foreign 
language  with  which  he  is  not  familiar.  For  example,  the 
French  word  for  sixtieth,  soixantieme. 

6.  Other  Tests:  Many  other  tests,  such  as  nonsense 
syllables,  series  of  digits,  the  Binet  figures — anything,  in  fact, 
involving  a  productive  or  reproductive  image  may  be  used  as 
a  test  for  imagery  type. 

•     HABIT  FORMATION 

The  final  step  in  learning  to  spell  is  habit  formation. 
Habit  is  the  repetition  of  an  act,  which  is  at  first  per- 
formed consciously,  until  it  becomes  so  established  that  it  can 
be  carried  out  successfully  without  any  conscious  control. 
Whenever  an  idea  is  expressed  often  enough  in  action,  a  stage 
of   development   is   finally   reached  where   consciousness   can 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING  9 

drop  out  and  we  can  perform  the  act  without  thinking  what 
we  are  going  to  do  before  we  do  it.  Dressing,  typewriting, 
playing  the  piano,  opening  and  shutting  doors,  and  many  of 
the  various  everyday  activities  which  we  now  perform  without 
any  attention  to  details  are  the  outcome  of  earlier  conscious 
adjustments;  even  the  use  of  knives,  forks  and  spoons,  in  eat- 
ing, which  seems  so  purely  automatic,  is  learned  in  an  elabo- 
rately conscious  manner  during  early  childhood. 

A  baby,  in  his  attempt  to  convey  food  to  his  mouth  in  a 
spoon,  will  illustrate  the  early  stages  of  habit  formation. 


10  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 


CHAPTER  2 

APPLICATION     OF     PSYCHOLOGICAL    PRINCIPLES 

TO  SPELLING 

PERCEPTION  (Word  Presentation) 

The  first  stage  in  spelling  is  the  perception  of  the  word. 
We  must  see  the  word  written,  look  at  it  in  a  spelling  book  or 
dictionary,  hear  it  spelled,  or,  as  in  the  ease  of  one  who  is 
blind  and  deaf,  run  the  fingers  over  the  letters  or  symbols 
standing  for  the  word,  or  else  touch  the  lips  of  one  who  is 
expressing  the  Avord. 

Conditions  of  Presentation:  In  order  to  get  a  clear  per- 
ception of  the  word,  the  stimulus  must  be  clear  and  distinct, 
must  be  such  that  it  is  suited  to  the  sensory  equipment  of  the 
individual,  and  must  be  of  long  enough  duration  so  that  all 
the  details  are  observed. 

It  is  desirable  to  have  the  word  presented  in  such  a  way 
that  the  child  will  see  it  and  hear  it  and  feel  himself  forming 
it.  We  must  see  to  it  that  the  child  who  is  in  any  way  defec- 
tive in  vision  or  hearing,  gets  as  clear  an  impression  of  the 
word  as  if  he  were  not  thus  defective. 

After  considerable  experimentation,  we  have  selected  the 
method  of  presentation  which  seems  to  give  the  best  results 
with  the  average  child.  The  details  of  this  method  will  be 
given  in  the  outline  of  the  method  of  presentation  (pages 
20-24.). 

Errors  in  Presentation  :  The  first  common  error  in  pre- 
sentation is  the  mispronunciation  of  the  word  either  by  the 
child  or  by  the  teacher.  A  surprising  number  of  children 
mispronounce  words  and  still  spell  them  correctly,  but  the 
correct  pronunciation  of  the  words  is  an  absolute  necessity  for 
the  child  of  the  auditory  imagery  type  and  consequently  can 
not  be  too  much  emphasized.  It  might  be  noted  here  that  it 
is  foolish  to  spend  as  much  time  as  we  do  in  the  teaching  of 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OP  SPELLING  11 

spelling  without  at  the  same  time  teaching  the  child  the  cor- 
rect pronunciation  of  the  word. 

The  following  are  illustrations  of  words  which  are 
frequently  mispronounced  and  consequently  misspelled: 
February,  brethren,  separate,  interest,  description,  governor, 
chimney. 

The  next  error  in  presentation  is  too  short  duration  of  the 
stimulus.  A  clear  image  of  the  word  can  be  formed  only  if 
every  detail  of  it  is  clearly  perceived.  In  the  attempt  to 
keep  the  child's  attention  from  wandering  and  to  keep  up  a 
certain  pitch  of  activity  in  the  classroom,  the  teacher  limits 
the  length  of  presentation  of  the  word  to  the  time  which  she 
considers  suitable.  There  are  some  children  who  can  get 
words  very  easily  by  this  "flash  method"  and  there  are  others 
for  whom  the  method  is  impossible.  Children  of  the  auditory 
type  in  particular  always  require  a  little  longer  time  to  form 
the  image  than  do  the  other  children.  If  the  word  is  removed 
even  the  fraction  of  a  second  before  the  child  has  perceived 
all  the  details,  his  image  will  necessarily  be  defective.  If 
the  words  are  properly  taught,  it  is  not  necessary  to  resort 
to  the  "flash  method"  in  order  to  hold  the  child's  attention. 

Another  error  is  lack  of  attention  to  the  word  on  the  part  of 
the  child  during  presentation.  The  lack  of  attention  may 
be  due  to  the  fact  that  the  child  is  thinking  of  something 
altogether  different,  or  it  may  be  due  to  the  distraction  of  the 
child's  attention  from  the  word  itself  to  the  letters  of  the 
word,  provided  he  is  required  to  spell  orally  or  is  allowed  to 
copy  the  word  letter  by  letter  during  presentation. 

IMAGE  (Memory  of  Word)  ^ 

Obviously  the  image  required  in  spelling  is  reproductive 
rather  than  productive.  Certainly  originality  is  not  at  a 
premium  in  connection  with  the  spelling  of  words.  Even  the 
slightest  shift  toward  the  productive  image — that  is,  the  least 
reorganization  of  the  elements  given  in  the  original  percep- 


V 

12  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING     \ 

tion — results  in  incorrect  spelling.  Spelling  thus  remains  the 
one  school  subject  which  is  entirely  dependent  on  reproductive 
imagination. 

After  the  child  has  had  a  perception  of  the  word,  he  must 
carry  with  him  some  image  which  is  a  perfect  reproduction 
of  the  original  perception.  This  image  may  be  either  visual, 
auditory,  tactile-motor,  or  mixed ;  that  is,  the  child  may  get  a' 
picture  of  the  word  in  his  mind,  or  he  may  say  the  word  or 
the  letters  of  the  word  to  himself,  or  he  may  move  his  fingers 
as  he  would  in  writing  the  word,  or  he  may  do  any  two  or  all 
three  of  these  things  at  once.  The  only  requirement  is  that 
the  image  be  sufficiently  clear  to  give  the  elements  in  the 
proper  order. 

Results  of  Work  With  Imagery  Tests:  It  was  in  the 
investigation  of  the  imagery  processes  of  poor  spellers  that 
we  obtained  the  most  interesting  results.  With  four  excep- 
tions, our  poor  spellers  are  of  the  extremely  auditory-motor 
type;  they  recall  past  experiences  in  terms  of  auditory-motor 
rather  than  in  terms  of  visual  images.  In  most  cases  the 
type  is  auditory  lip-motor  and  throat-motor.  In  the  case  of 
the  memory  for  words  these  poor  spellers  have  a  sound  image 
of  either  the  word  or  the  letters  of  the  word  and  at  the  same 
time  have  a  certain  consciousness  of  lip  and  throat  movement. 
They  are  unable  to  get  a  visual  image  of  the  word  or  letters 
that  make  it  up. 

Discussion  of  Significance  of  Results  of  Imagery  Tests  : 
Many  teachers  insist  that  they  have  been  teaching  spelling  for 
some  time  in  such  a  way  as  to  appeal  to  all  types  of  imagery ; 
that  they  present  the  word  visually  for  the  ''eye-minded" 
child,  orally  (give  oral  spelling)  -for  the  ''ear-minded"  child, 
and  have  the  children  write  it  for  the  sake  of  the  "motor" 
child. 

At  this  point  a  peculiar  psychological  fallacy  has  crept  into 
the  problem.     It  has  been  taken  for  granted  that  the  child's 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING  13 

imagery  is  of  the  type  corresponding  to  the  type  of  the  sensory 
stimulus  he  apperceives  most  readily ;  if  he  learns  a  thing  best 
when  he  sees  it,  it  is  taken  for  granted  that  his  imagery  is  of 
the  visual  type  and  that  his  memory  image  is  a  mental  picture ; 
if  he  gets  the  results  best  when  something  is  presented  in  such 
a  way  that  he  hears  it,  then  it  is  taken  for  granted  that  his 
imagery  is  of  the  auditory  type,  and  that  he  remembers  in  the 
form  of  word  or  sound  images ;  if  he  gets  the  best  results  when 
he  expresses  the  thing  in  terms  of  his  own  movements,  then 
it  is  taken  for  granted  that  his  imagery  is  of  the  motor  type. 
Consequently,  the  teacher  believes  that  she  is  appealing  to  the 
various  types  when  she  is  having  words  written  on  the  board, 
spelled  orally,  and  written  by  each  of  the  children.  The  last 
mentioned  method  of  presentation,  which  is  really  the  most 
important,  is  most  often  neglected. 

Now,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  child  may  perceive  a  visual 
stimulus  much  more  readily  than  he  does  an  auditory,  and  yet 
translate  the  sensation  at  once  into  auditory  or  auditory-motor 
terms  and  retain  the  content  in  this*  form.  In  the  case  of 
spelling,  he  may  learn  the  word  better  from  a  visual  than 
from  an  auditory  stimulus,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  he 
is  saying  the  word  or  the  letters  of  the  word  to  himself  all  the 
while  he  is  looking  at  the  word,  and  also  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  it  is  the  auditory  image  thus  created  which  he 
retains,  and  not  the  original  visual  impression. 

The  advantage  of  the  visual  over  the  auditory  stimulus  is 
that  it  is  usually  more  stable  and  does  not  have  a  fixed  rate 
of  passing,  as  does  the  auditory  stimulus.  With  the  visual 
stimulus,  the  individual  sets  his  own  mental  pace,  as  it  were. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  problem  of  appealing  to  the 
various  imagery  tyipes  has  not  been  met  in  the  least  degree 
by  presenting  the  word  as  a  visual,  an  auditory,  and  a  motor 
stimulus. 


14  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 

A  further  analysis  shows  that  the  oral  spelling,  instead  of 
aiding  the  auditory  child,  actually  hinders  him.  The  child 
who  gets  a  clear  visual  image  of  the  word  has  an  image  of  the 
word  as  a  whole  while  he  is  either  spelling  it  orally  or  writing 
it.  His  visual  image  is  not  interfered  with  by  the  process  of 
saying  the  letters  aloud  or  to  himself.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
child  whose  control  image  is  auditory,  can  not  hear  the  word 
as  a  whole  at  the  same  time  that  he  hears  the  separate  letters, 
when  he  is  attempting  either  to  say  the  letters  to  himself  or 
to  spell  the  word  aloud. 

It  is  an  easy  matter  for  the  reader  to  illustrate  this  point 
to  himself  if  he  will  attempt  to  spell  a  word  letter  by  letter 
and  to  hear  the  word  as  a  whole  at  the  same  time,  or  even  to 
hear  the  word  as  a  whole  and  at  the  same  time  to  follow  the 
letters  as  the  word  is  spelled  aloud  by  another  person.  It  will 
be  found  that  one  auditory  process  interferes  with  the  other. 

The  result  of  this  rivalry  of  the  auditory  images  is  that 
the  auditory  child  says  the  w-ord  and  then  attempts  to  spell 
it  without  any  controlling  image  of  the  word  as  a  whole. 
Consequently,  he  puts  the  letters  of  the  word  together  in 
almost  an}^  order,  leaves  out  letters  and  syllables,  and  finally 
becomes  so  hopelessly  confused  that  he  does  not  know  what  he 
is  attempting  to  spell. 

The  difficulty  is  due  to  the  fact  that  as  soon  as  he  begins 
to  say  the  letters  of  the  word  aloud,  the  image  of  the  word  as 
a  whole  is  lost.  A  high  school  boy  who  was  a  very  good 
student,  but  an  astonishing  speller,  pronounced  the  word 
"familiar"  correctly,  and  yet  proceeded  to  spell  it  ''fimaler"; 
''opportunity"  he  spelled  ''opertunitj^"  ''persevere"  he 
wrote  ' '  presevere, ' '  etc.  He  said  he  did  not  look  words  up  in 
a  dictionary  because  he  could  not  find  them.  Other  illustra- 
tions are:  "propily"  for  "properly,"  "apperate"  for 
"appreciate,"  "imagian"  for  "imagine,"  "conceence"  for 
"conscientious,"  "elegiance"  for  "allegiance."  These  mis- 
spelled words   are   taken   from   the   papers  of   eighth   grade 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING  15 

children,  and  illustrate  the  way  in  which  the  child  loses  the 
idea  of  the  word  as  soon  as  he  begins  to  think  the  letters. 

An  analysis  of  the  facts  already  presented  makes  it  evident 
that  the  three  factors  essential  for  the  most  effective  teaching 
of  spelling  are:  first,  the  discovery  by  the  individual  of  the 
form  of  image  which  he  can  get  most  clearly;  -second,  the 
formation  of  a  clear  image  of  the  word  in  terms  of  this  mental 
type;  and  finally,  attention  to  the  image  during  the  process 
of  writing  the  word.  It  appears  further  that  any  form  of« 
oral  spelling  is  distinctly  bad  for  the  child  of  the  auditory 
type. 

With  reference  to  this  last  point,  it  is  obvious  that  spelling 
functions  only  when  one  wishes  to  express  oneself  in  written 
form.  Consequently,  unless  it  can  be  shown  that  oral  spelling 
is  a  real  aid  to  the  acquiring  of  skill  in  the  correct  spelling  of 
written  words,  there  is  no  justification  for  employing  it. 

The  following  facts  argue  against  the  value  of  oral  spelling: 

(1)  The  fact  that  an  individual  has  acquired  skill  in  one 
set  of  motor  reactions  does  not  necessarily  mean  that  he  can 
transfer  that  skill  to  some  other  reaction.  For  example,  a 
child  will  frequently  spell  a  word  orally  quite  correctly  and 
be  unable  to  write  it  correctl;^. 

(2)  Oral  spelling  dispels  the  only  image  of  the  word  as 
such  which  the  auditory  child  is  able  to  get. 

(3)  The  visual  child  does  not  need  to  go  through,  the 
process  of  auditory  spelling,  as  he  has  the  letters  represented 
in  his  visual  image  of  the  word. 

(4)  The  results  of  numerous  experiments  with  individual 
cases  and  with  classes  of  children  from  the  third  to  the  eighth 
grades  all  show  better  results  when  oral  spelling  is  omitted. 
The  class  experiments  referred  to  seem  to  the  writer  the 
strongest  argument  against  oral  spelling,  as  these  experiments 
were  made  by  experienced  and  successful  city  and  training 


16  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 

school  teachers,  who  in  some  cases  began  the  work  with  the 
conviction  that  it  was  a  mistake  to  omit  oral  spelling. 

Note. — The  experiments  referred  to  were  performed  as  follows:  Classes 
were  divided  into  two  sections.  The  children  were  selected  in  such  a 
way  that  each  section  contained  the  same  number  of  good  and  of  poor 
spellers.  The  Rice  test  was  made  the  basis  for  selection.  The  two  groups 
were  then  taught  the  same  words  in  the  same  way  except  that  oral 
spelling  was  entirely  omitted  in  one  group  while  it  was  made  a  part  of 
the  study  and'recitation  in  the  other  group.  At  the  end  of  the  term,  the 
two  groups  were  given  the  same  list  of  words  in  a  written  test.  In  every 
case,  the  average  was  higher  for  the  group  which  did  not  have  the  oral 
spelling.  A  detailed  study  of  the  results  obtained  from  the  two  groups 
shows  that  the  particular  factor  which  raised  the  average  of  the  winning 
^roup  was  the  improvement  on  the  part  of  the  poor  spellers.  The  dif- 
ference in  method  seemed  to  have  no  effect  whatever  on  the  good  spellers. 
Twenty  such  group  experiments  were  performed. 

HABIT  FORMATION 

The  last  step  in  learning  any  w^ord  is  to  make  the  writing 
of  the  word  habitual.  It  is  not  enough  that  the  child  write 
the  word  once  or  twice  correctly.  He  must  write  it  often 
enough  while  the  image  is  clear,  so  that  the  correct  writing 
becomes  automatic  and  he  can  write  the  w^ord  correctly  with- 
out attention  to  the  spelling. 

It  is  like  the  case  of  the  man  who  is  learning  to  drive  an 
automobile.  He  may  know  just  how  the  machine  is  operated, 
but  as  long  as  he  has  to  think  just  what  he  has  to  do  to  start 
and  stop  and  change  speed,  it  is  not  safe  for  him  to  attempt 
to  drive  rapidly  through  traffic.  He  may  know  exactly  what 
to  do,  but  the  process  is  slow  and  awkward  and  given  to  error 
as  long  as  he  has  to  stop  and  think  each  detail  before  he  can 
carry  it  out.  At  this  stage  he  will  not  even  perform  the  act 
correctly  if  his  attention  is  taken  up  with  something  other 
than  the  movement  he  must  make.  When  he  sees  the  obstruc- 
tion and  stops  the  car  automatically,  or  shifts  his  gears  on  a 
grade  without  needing  to  think  how  it  is  done;  when  he  can 
control  the  ear  with  his  attention  on  the  road  because  all  his 
adjustments  to  the  car  have  been  carried  out  so  often  as  to  be 
habit,  he  is  safe. 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING  17 

Just  so  in  spelling;  it  is  necessary  to  go  through  the  stage 
when  each  detail  is  clear  in  the  mind  before  the  writing  of  the 
word,  but  the  child  is  not  safe  to  dash  through  the  ''traffic" 
of  real  writing  as  thoughts  tumble  themselves  out  on  paper, 
until  he  has  written  each  word  often  enough  so  that  he  can 
write  the  word  with  his  attention  on  what  he  wants  to  say. 


18  TEACHER^^ANUAL  OF  SPELLING 


CHAPTER  3 

METHOD  OF  TEACHING  SPELLING 

First  Work  in  Spelling.  The  child's  first  instruction  in 
spelling  should  be  coincident  with  his  first  instruction  in  writ- 
ing. As  soon  as  he  has  developed  the  motor  control  necessary 
for  writing,  he  will  be  ready  to  write  sight  words.  The  very 
young  child  is  interested  in  performing  what  appears  to  be  a 
mechanical  operation  over  and  over  again  until  he  perfects  it 
and  if  left  to  himself  will  write  sight  words  until  he  becomes 
thoroughly  proficient  in  this  form  of  expression.  The  teacher 
has  only  to  suggest  that  his  written  repetitions  should  be  made 
from  his  own  memory  image  and  not  copied.  This  means 
that,  if  he  is  writing  on  paper,  he  should  cover  the  word  as 
soon  as  he  has  written  it.  Spelling  has  no  function  until  the 
child  is  ready  to  write.  This  is  especially  true  since  we  no 
longer  use  letter  by  letter  study  of  the  word  in  connection 
with  reading.  It  is  especially  important  that  the  first  work 
in  spelling  be  given  so  that  the  child  will  write  sight  wordS^ 
over  and  over  again  (as  he  will  naturally  tend  to  do  if  th9 
copy  is  given)  and  that  letter  by  letter  analysis  of  the  word 
should  not  be  suggested.  His  first  writing  work  would  thus 
pass  on  directly  into  his  later  written  spelling  as  longer  words 
come  to  be  learned.  In  his  first  work  the  child  is  interested 
in  the  mere  mechanical  process  of  forming  the  words ;  as  soon 
as  he  gets  a  satisfactory  degree  of  skill  in  the  mechanics  of 
writing,  his  interest  shifts  to  the  idea  to  be  expressed  in  writ- 
ing, but  the  method  by  which  he  learns  to  spell  new  words 
wall  have  been  determined  by  his  early  work. 

Essential  Factors  in  Learning  to  Spell.  The  following 
factors  must  be  taken  into  account  in  any  satisfactory  scheme 
for  teaching  spelling: 

1.  A  clear  perception  of  the  word  to  be  spelled. 


TEACHERS'  31  AN  UAL  OF  SPELLING  19 

2.  Formation  of  a  clear  image  of  the  word — which 
image  will  be  of  the  visual,  auditory,  motor,  or  mixed 
type,  depending  on  the  imagery  type  of  the  individual. 

3.  Attention  to  this  image  during  the  writing  of  the 
word. 

4.  Frequent  enough  writing  of  the  word  with  the  image 
control  so  that  the  process  becomes  habitual  and  the  word 
can  be  written  without  attention  to  its  form. 

Imagery  Tests.  If  children  are  taught  to  spell  correctly 
from  the  start,  it  is  not  necessary  to  discuss  the  imagery  prob- 
lem with  them  although  they  are  interested  in  the  imagery 
tests.  Children  naturally  attend  to  those  images  that  they 
get  most  easily  and  clearly.  It  is  only  when  we  suggest  other 
processes  or  force  children  into  activities  like  oral  spelling, 
that  they  get  into  habits  which  make  trouble.  Sometimes  the 
difficulty  is  due  to  the  fact  that  we  call  the  child's  attention 
to  some  imagery  form  that  he  is  not  able  to  get  clearly,  as 
when  we  insist  that  a  child  of  the  auditory  type  attend  to  a 
visual  image. 

If  they  are  taught  from  the  start  in  such  a  way  that  the 
visual  children  are  free  to  attend  to  their  visual  images,  the 
auditory  to  their  auditory  images,  the  motor  to  motor  images, 
each  child  will  simply  develop  the  process  of  learning  words 
which  suits  him  befet. 

If,  however,  the  children  have  already  formed  bad  habits, 
it  is  worth  while  to  discuss  the  imagery  problem  with  them 
and  to  have  each  child  understand  enough  about  his  own 
mental  processes  to  know  just  what  the  object  of  his  attention 
should  be. 

Children  are  delighted  with  the  imagery  tests  and  they  can 
be  given  with  profit  even  as  early  as  the  third  grade.  In 
grades  above  the  second,  the  imagery  tests  described  on  pages 
3-8  are  given  to  the  child  or  to  the  class,  as  the  case  may  be. 
The  problem  of  imagery  is  next  discussed  with  the  children. 


20  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 

The  point  is  not  that  the  teacher  shall  discover  how  the 
child  thinks,  but  that  the  child  shall  discover  the  nature  of 
his  own  mental  processes  and  learn  to  hold  the  image  of  the 
word,  whatever  its  form  may  be,  until  he  has  expressed  it 
in  writing.  If  the  child  has  a  visual  image  of  the  word  it  is 
not  at  all  important  that  the  teacher  should  know  this ;  but  it  is 
very  important  that  the  child  shall  focus  his  attention  on  the 
word  until  his  visual  image  is  clear  in  every  detail,  and  that  he 
shall  keep  his  attention  on  the  image  while  the  word  is  being 
written.  In  the  same  way  the  child  must  learn  to  form  a  clear 
auditory  image  if  he  is  of  the  auditory  type,  and  to  attend  to 
this  auditory  image  while  the  word  is  being  written.  The 
same  principle  will  hold  in  the  case  of  the  auditory-motor 
child. 

One  matter  of  surprise  to  the  author  is  that  children  often 
get  the  idea  more  quickly  than  do  adults.  There  is  no  ques- 
tion but  that  third  and  fourth  grade  children  discover  which 
type  of  image  they  get  most  clearly  and  study  words  accord- 
ing to  their  own  individual  types  with  phenomenally  good 
results. 

Teaching  of  Words.  After  the  imagery  tests  have  been 
given,  words  must  be  presented  in  some  way  which  will  fulfill 
the  psychological  requirements.  The  following  outline  gives 
the  steps  of  a  process  which  we  have  found  satisfactory  for 
general  classroom  work. 

Steps  in  Teaching  Phonetic  Words.  (Words  that  can  be 
written  as  they  are  pronounced) : 

(1)  The  teacher  writes  the  word  on  the  board,  pro- 
nouncing it  as  she  writes  it. 

(2)  The  children  pronounce  the  word  after  the 
teacher. 

(3)  The  children  pronounce  the  word  slowly,  looking 
at  the  written  word  to  see  if  it  is  spelled  as  it  is  pro- 
nounced.   While  they  pronounce  the  word  the  second 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING  21 

time,  lines  are  drawn  between  the  syllables  or  the 
syllables  are  underlined,  so  that  the  word  is  divided  into 
convenient  sound  units. 

(4)  The  children  are  asked  to  shut  their  eyes  and  see 
if  they  can  form  a  picture  of  the  word  in  their  minds. 
If  they  can  not  form  a  picture,  or  if  the  picture  is  not 
plain  enough  to  give  them  all  the  letters  of  the  word, 
they  are  told  to  say  the  word  over  to  themselves  and  to 
be  sure  that  they  hear  every  sound  very  plainly.  All 
the  children  may  be  encouraged  to  say  the  word,  to 
themselves,  as  our  visual  students  report  that  this 
process  of  saying  the  word  clarifies  the  visual  image. 

These  directions  are  omitted  as  soon  as  the  children  are 
familiar  ivith  the  process. 

(5)  The  word  is  erased. 

(6)  Each  child  says  the  word  slowly  to  himself,  with 
lip  movement  if  necessary  and  writes  it  as  he  says  it. 
This  last  step  must  not  be  omitted  under  any  circum- 
stances. The  whole  point  of  the  work  is  to  make  the 
process  of  writing  the  word  habitual.  All  habits  orig- 
inate in  conscious  activity,  but  depend  as  much  upon 
the  proper  expression  of  the  idea  as  upon  its  clearness. 

(7)  The  next  day,  the  entire  list  of  words  is  written 
-        from  dictation,  great  care  being  taken  that  the  child 

says  the  word  to  himself  as  he  writes  it. 

(8)  All  misspelled  words  are  retaught. 

Illustration  op  Method.  The  word  ''separate,"  is  taught 
as  follows:  (1)  The  teacher  writes  the  word  on  the  board 
saying  it  as  she  writes  it.  (2  &  3)  The  children  then  pronounce 
the  word  slowly  while  the  teacher  marks  off  the  syllables, 
sep/a/rate.  The  children  see  very  readily  that  the  word  can 
be  written  just  as  it  is  pronounced.  (4)  The  children  shut 
their  eyes  and  say  the  word  over  carefully  to  themselves,  mak- 
ing sure  that  the  visual  or  auditory  image  is  clear.     It  is 


22  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 

particularly  important  that  the  children  pronounce  the  second 
syllable  correctly.  (5)  The  word  is  erased.  (6)  Finally,  the 
children  write  the  word  saying  each  syllable  to  themselves  as 
they  write  it. 

NoNPHONETic  Words  or  Parts  of  Words.     (Words  that 
cannot  be  written  as  they  are  pronounced). 

Most  words  are  partly  phonetic,  and  for  all  phonetic 
syllables,  the  method  just  described  should  be  used.  After 
the  child  has  mastered  the  simple  letter  combinations  either 
in  the  study  of  phonics  or  in  the  process  of  learning  a  reason- 
able number  of  words,  only  the  nonphonetic  parts  of  new 
words  need  to  be  learned.  C-o-n  is  con,  and  if  the  child  has 
once  learned  it,  either  as  a  phonogram  or  as  a  part  of  any 
word,  he  should  not  have  to  learn  it  again  in  a  word  like 
conscientious  just  because  a  part  of  the  word  is  nonphonetic. 
It  is  astonishing  how  much  of  the  English  language  the  child 
learns  in  the  first  three  grades,  and  how  little  we  use  this 
knowledge  in  teaching  him  the  separate  words  of  his  later 
school  course.  The  problem  of  learning  the  nonphonetic-^ 
parts  of  words  is  not  particularly  difficult  for  the  visual  child. 
He  simply  has  to  be  sure  that  he  has  formed  a  clear  visual 
image  of  the  difficult  part  of  the  word.  He  forms  this  image 
very  readily. 

The  problem  for  the  auditory-motor  child  is  a  very  differ- 
ent  one.  As  he  cannot  visualize  the  word,  it  is  necessary  that  J 
he  form  an  auditory-motor  image  of  the  nonphonetic  parts  of 
the  word.  In  the  case  of  many  words,  he  Avill  simply  say  the 
letters  over  to  himself.  In  other  cases,  instead  of  saying  each 
separate  letter,  the  child  says  the  letter  combinations  just  as 
they  occur  in  the  word,  and  writes  the  word  as  he  says  the 
parts.  For  example,  he  would  not  spell  out  ''W-e-d-n-e-s- 
d-a-y,''  but  would  say  the  word  first  and  then  pronounce  it 
for  spelling,  as  it  is  spelled,  *'Wed-nes-day."  As  he  writes 
the  word  he  simply  repeats  these  three  sounds,  *'wed,''  '*nes" 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING  23 

and  *'day."     Thus  he  learns  only  three  elements  instead  of 
nine. 

The  steps  in  teaching  a  word  which  is  partly  nonphonetic 
are  as  follows: 

(1)  The  teacher  writes  the  word  on  the  board,  saying 
it  as  she  writes  it. 

(2)  The  teacher  pronounces  the  word. 

(3)  The  children  pronounce  the  word. 

(4)  The  children  say  the  word  slowly  as  the  teacher 
marks  off  the  syllables.  This  makes  the  nonphonetic 
parts  of  the  word  obvious. 

(5)  The  nonphonetic  parts  of  the  word  are  under- 
lined. 

(6)  The  children  form  a  clear  auditory  or  visual 
image  of  the  difficult  parts  of  the  word. 

(7)  The  children  repeat  the  word  to  themselves,  mak- 
ing sure  that  the  recall  image  is  clear  for  every  part  of 
the  word. 

(8)  The  word  is  erased. 

(9)  The  children  write  the  word  saying  it  to  them- 
selves as  they  write  it. 

(10)  The  children  write  the  word  the  next  day  from 
dictation. 

Illustration  of  Method.  The  word  ''conscientious,''  is 
taught  as  follows:  (1)  The  teacher  first  writes  the  word  say- 
ing it  as  she  write  it.  (2)  The  teacher  pronounces  the  word 
and  (3)  the  children  say  it  after  her.  (4)  The  children  say 
the  word  slowly  while  the  teacher  marks  off  the  syllables 
eon/sci/en/tiou|.  The  con  can  be  written  just  as  it  is  said; 
the  sci  is  obviously  not  written  as  it  is  pronounced;  en  is 
perfectly  familiar,  and  the  children  have  already  learned  the 
endings  tioiis  and  cious  so  that  the  only  point  they  have  to 
remember  is  the  t.     Thus  we  find  that  this  seemingly  difficult 


34  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OP  SPELLING 

word  has  only  two  elements,  sci  and  t,  which  have  not  already 
been  learned  in  simpler  combinations.  Each  child  must  he 
sure  that  he  can  pronounce  the  word  and  then  he  must  fix  the 
two  difficult  parts.  ]\Iost  children  who  do  not  visualize  will 
say  s-ci,  simply  giving  the  sound  of  the  letters,  though  some 
children,  in  writing  the  word,  always  spell  out  the  three  let- 
ters. The  t  gives  no  trouble,  as  the  visual  child  forms  a  visual 
image  of  it  and  the  auditory  child  hears  the  little  click  of  the 
t  as  distinguished  from  c  when  he  says  the  word  to  himself  for 
spelling  purposes. 

General  Application  of  Method.  The  formal  steps  out- 
lined in  the  plan  are  carried  out  very  rapidly  by  the  child 
after  he  has  once  acquired  the  habit  of  learning  words  in  this 
way.  He  learns  any  phonetic  word  that  is  already  a  part 
of  his  spoken  vocabulary  almost  as  rapidly  as  he  can  say  it 
over  once  and  write  it.  The  method  becomes  of  value  when 
the  child  applies  it  to  his  every  day  work,  particularly  when 
he  looks  up  all  doubtful  words  in  the  dictionary  and  learns 
them  at  the  same  time.  He  can  do  this  by  simply  observing 
whether  the  word  in  question  is  phonetic  or  not;  fixing  the 
correct  pronunciation;  giving  special  attention  to  any  non- 
phonetic  part ;  closing  the  dictionary ;  writing  the  word  from 
his  visual  or  auditory  image  of  it.  The  child  who  forms  the 
dictionary  habit  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  grades  and  who 
makes  it  a  rule  to  learn  words  whenever  he  has  occasion  to 
look  them  up,  will  not  need  the  formal  teaching  of  spelling 
above  the  sixth  grade. 

Habit  Formation.  If  the  child  is  taught  words  in  common 
use  and  is  not  forced  into  a  position  where  he  has  to  write 
words  incorrectly,  habit  will  take  care  of  itself.  The  correct 
writing  of  a  word  several  times  makes  the  process  habitual, 
provided  the  word  is  not  simply  copied  letter  by  letter  from 
the  dictionary  or  blackboard,  but  rather  with  the  attention 
on  the  image  of  the  word.     The  child  should  always  be  told 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OP  SPELLING  25 

how  to  spell  a  word  or  allowed  to  look  it  up  in  the  dictionary 
when  he  is  doubtful  of  the  spelling,  as  a  bad  habit  is  estab- 
lished every  time  the  child  writes  the  word  incorrectly.  For 
the  same  reason  a  child  should  never  see  a  word  incorrectly 
spelled  when  it  is  possible  to  avoid  it.  For  this  reason  the 
custom  of  having  children  correct  each  other's  papers  should 
be  done  away  with. 


26  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  8PELL1N(^ 


CHAPTER  4 

GENERAL   CONDITIONS   WHICH   ARE   FAVORABLE 
FOR  THE  LEARNING  OF  NEW  WORDS 

The  following  conditions — most  of  them  mere  matters  of 
common-sense  psychology — should  be  observed  in  teaching 
words : 

1.  The  teacher  should  discover  her  poor  spellers  as  soon  as 
possible,  so  that  she  may  be  able  to  give  them  special  attention 
until  the  new  habits  of  spelling  are  formed.  For  this  purpose 
the  Ay  res  scale  is  excellent  (see  Chap.  5). 

2.  The  work  will  go  slowly  at  first,  particularly  if  the 
children  are  in  the  habit  of  learning  words  letter  by  letter. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  work  they  should  never  be  hurried. 
The  auditory  child  ''goes  to  pieces"  if  he  is  not  allowed  suffi- 
cient time  to  work  out  his  imagery  processes.  It  usually  takes 
about  a  month  for  the  children  to  become  accustomed  to  the 
new  method,  then  the  work  goes  more  rapidly  than  by  the  old 
method,  as  the  child  uses  letter  combinations  in  learning  each 
new  word.  The  important  thing  is  not  that  the  child  cover 
a  given  number  of  words  in  a  set  time  hut  that  he  really 
learn  whatever  words  he  studies  and  that  he  develop  a 
method  of  learning  words  which  he  can  apply  to  any  new  words 
lie  has  occasion  to  use. 

3.  The  teacher  should  make  sure  that  the  children  study 
according  to  the  plan.  This  is  particularly  important  if  the 
children  have  already  formed  the  habit  of  learning  words 
letter  by  letter.  The  teacher  may  present  the  words  perfectly 
and  yet  the  child  may  continue  to  say  the  letters  over  and 
over  to  himself.  It  is  usually  possible  to  determine  what 
method  the  child  is  using  by  observing  his  lips.  The  audi- 
tory-motor child  almost  always  makes  lip  movements  and 
these  movements  are  quite  noticeably  different  when  he  is 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING  27 

saying  the  letters  and  when  he  is  saying  the  syllables.  Indi- 
vidual work  may  be  necessary  for  a  few  moments  a  day  to 
start  the  correct  habits. 

,4.  If  the  child  is  a  very  poor  speller  and  studies  his  words 
at  home,  the  parents  should  see  that  he  does  not  use  letter  by 
letter  oral  spelling  there.  Otherwise,  the  home  study  will  do 
more  harm  than  good. 

5.  The  ultimate  end  of  spelling  instruction  is  to  make  the 
correct  ivriting  of  the  word  habitual.  Consequently,  the 
child  should  learn  words  in  common  use  and  have  opportu- 
nity to  use  them until  the  hahit  has  been  formed.  Every  time 
the  child  writes  the  word  correctly  the  habit  becomes  more 
fixed  and  the  process  becomes  more  nearly  automatic. 

6.  Every  time  the  child  writes  tJie  word  incorrectly,  a  had 
hahit  is  started  or  fixed.  Consequently,  the  child  should  be 
encouraged  to  look  up  in  the  dictionary  any  words  of  which 
he  is  not  sure,  or,  when  this  is  not  possible,  to  ask  for  the 
spelling.  He  should  always  be  allowed  to  take  time  to  fix 
the  correct  image  of  the  w^ord  and  should  w^rite  the  word  from 
his  own  memory-image  rather  than  copy  it  from  the  diction- 
ary or  blackboard.  He  should  never  be  forced  to  write  words 
incorrectly  even  in  spelling  dictation. 

7.  Words  should  be  taught  in  context,  at  least  in  all  the 
upper  grades.  If  spelling  were  taught  adequately  in  the 
lower  grades,  the  child  above  the  sixth  grade  or  even  at  an 
earlier  stage  in  his  school  career,  would  not  need  formal 
instruction  in  spelling.  He  would  know  how  to  study  words, 
and  would  simply  look  them  up  and  fix  them  whenever  his 
work  required  the  writing  of  unfamiliar  words.  Dr.  Ayres 
has  found  that  about  a  thousand  words  constitute  nine- 
tenths  of  our  writing  vocabulary  and  that  these  are  the 
words  which  we  use,  no  matter  what  the  subject  of  our  writing 
may  be.  The  words  constituting  the  remaining  tenth  at  any 
given  time  vary  with  the  subject  under  consideration  and  so 


28  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 

represent  our  own  private  interests — our  individual  vocab- 
ularies. If  the  Ayres  list  were  made  the  basis  for  the  most 
thorough  classroom  instruction  and  drill,  the  child  could  be 
given  much  of  the  time  now  spent  in  teaching  him  words  he 
never  uses,  for  the  individual  study  of  the  words  that  consti- 
tute his  own  particular  vocabulary. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  little  children  are  more 
interested  in  purely  mechanical  adjustments  than  are  older 
children  and  adults.  Consequently,  the  little  child  enjoys 
the  mere  mechanical  process  of  learning  to  write  words  as 
the  older  child  does  not.  If  we  took  advantage  of  the  early 
period  of  childhood  and  really  taught  the  child  a  certain 
number  of  fundamental  words  by  the  proper  method,  he 
would  have  no  difficulty  in  learning  the  words  essential  to 
his  own  individual  vocabulary  when  occasion  for  their  use 
arose. 

8.  In  the  upper  grades  the  spelling  book  should  give  place 
to  the  dictionary.  A  child  cannot  find  the  word  he  needs  in 
most  spellers,  but  he  soon  forms  the  habit  of  looking  up  and 
learning  the  word  he  uses  if  he  is  supplied  with  a  dictionary. 
"While,  under  the  present  law  of  this  state,  dictionaries  can- 
not be  furnished  as  school  texts,  they  can  be  obtained  from 
the  county  free  libraries  as  supplementary  books,  in  suffi- 
ciently large  numbers  so  that  the  children  are  not  left  helpless. 
Many  children  will  thus  become  sufficiently  interested  to  buy 
their  own  books. 

9.  Finally,  if  it  is  desired  to  continue  the  old  fashioned 
spelling  match,  this  can  be  conducted  as  a  written  rather  than 
an  oral  exercise.  Sides  are  chosen  as  usual,  but  each  child 
runs  to  the  board  and  whites  the  word  w^hen  his  turn  comes 
instead  of  spelling  it  orally.  If  the  word  is  written  incor- 
rectly, it  is  erased ;  another  child  comes  to  the  board  and  the 
child  who  wrote  the  w^ord  incorrectly  is  ''out.'*     While  it  is 


TEACHERS*  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING  29 

sometimes  true  that  the  best  natural  spellers  in  the  class  pre- 
fer the  oral  match  at  first,  they  soon  become  adjusted  to  the 
new  method  and  recognize  it  as  a  much  fairer  test  of  spelling 
ability.  The  child  of  the  auditory-motor  type  is  saved  untold 
mortification.  Certainly  children  who  have  learned  to  spell 
from  the  second  or  third  grades  without  oral  work,  have  fully 
as  exciting  matches  as  one  could  wish. 


30  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 

CHAPTER  5 

SPELLING  VOCABULARIES 

Purpose  of  Spelling  Book.  The  purpose  of  instruction  in 
spelling  is  to  develop  ability  to  write  correctly  and  rapidly 
such  words  as  one  has  occasion  to  use  in  expressing  ideas. 
Consequently,  the  speller  should  be  made  up  of  those  words 
which  children  of  given  ages  have  occasion  to  use  in  their 
written  expression.  It  is  necessary  to  distinguish  between 
the  writing  and  the  speaking  vocabulary,  as  the  latter  is  much 
more  extensive  than  the  former.  All  of  us  limit  our  Avriting 
to  our  special  interests  and  so  use  fewer  words  in  writing  than 
in  talking. 

Basis  for  Selection  of  Spelling  Vocabularies.  The  only 
basis  for  the  selection  of  spelling  words  is  some  experimental 
study  of  the  words  commonly  used  by  children  of  various  ages. 
The  classic  study  of  this  sort  is  that  which  resulted  in  the 
Ayres  list*  of  the  "thousand  commonest  words"  in  the  Eng- 
lish language.  These  thousand  commonest  words  were  finally 
chosen  b}^  combining  the  results  of  the  four  most  extensive 
studies  of  words  commonly  used  in  different  sorts  of  English 
writing. 

"In  every  one  of  the  studies  it  was  found  that  about  nine 
words  recur  so  frequently  that  they  constitute  in  the  aggre- 
gate one-fourth  of  the  whole  number  of  words  written,  while 
about  50  words  constitute  with  their  repetitions  one-half  of 
all  the  words  we  write.  With  the  exception  of  very  these 
words  are  all  monosyllables."^ 

"At  first  the  purpose  was  to  identify  the  2,000  most  com- 
monly used  words,  but  this  project  was  abandoned  because  it 
was  soon  found  to  be  impossible  of  realization.     It  is  easily 


*Ayres,  Leonard  P.,  A  Measuring  Scale  for  Ability  in  Spelling.     Russell 
Sage  Foundation,  New  York  City. 
^Ibid,  page  8. 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING  31 

possible  to  identify  the  10  commonest  words  in  written 
English.  These  are  probably  the,  and,  of,  to,  I,  a,  in,  that, 
you,  for.  With  their  repetitions  they  constitute  more  than 
one-fourth  of  all  the  words  we  write.  *  *  *  It  is 
likewise  possible  to  identify  the  50  commonest  words,  for, 
like  the  first  10,  they  are  true  construction  words  and  neces- 
sary, no  matter  what  the  nature  of  the  subject  under  consid- 
eration. With  progressively  decreasing  reliability  the  list 
may  be  extended  to  include  the  500  commonest  words  and 
possibly  the  1,000  commonest,  but  not  the  2,000  commonest, 
for  long  before  this  point  is  reached  the  identity  of  the  fre- 
quently used  words  varies  according  to  the  subject  under 
consideration.  For  this  reason  it  was  decided  to  limit  the 
foundation  vocabulary  to  1,000  words.  "^ 

The  1,000  words  finally  selected  will  be  found  to  constitute 
approximately  nine-tenths  of  any  ordinary  written  material. 
This  statement  may  be  verified  by  checking  up  the  Ayres 
words  in  any  magazine,  newspaper  or  literary  paragraph.  As 
Dr.  Ayres  states,  ''While  the  present  list  of  commonest  words 
can  be  improved  upon,  still  it  is  believed  to  be  more  reliable 
as  a  foundation  spelling  vocabulary  than  any.  ^one  of  the  pre- 
vious lists.  "^ 

The  Ayres  list,  then,  should  be  the  basis  for  any  spelling  list. 
It  should  certainly  be  possible  to  teach  children  one  thousand 
words  in  eight  years — an  average  of  one  hundred*  twenty-five 
words  a  year.  It  is  interesting  to  note  here  that  in  a  test 
of  entering  students  at  the  Los  Angeles  State  Normal  Sclfool 
in  the  fall  of  1917,  fifty-two  out  of  four  hundred  and  fifty 
high  school  graduates  missed  at  least  eight  out  of  fifty  Ayres 
words  which  constituted  the  test.  There  seems  to  be  no  reason 
why  any  child  graduated  from  the  elementary  schools  in 
this  state  should  ever  fail  on  any  one  of  these  thousand  com- 
monest words. 


^Ayers,  Leonard  P.,  A  Measuring  Scale  for  Ability  in  Spelling,  pages  8,  9. 
'Ibid,  page  12. 


32  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 

Supplementary  AVord  Lists.  There  is  considerable  diffi- 
culty in  selecting  words  in  addition  to  the  Ayres  word^ 
which  we  are  justified  in  forcing  a  child  to  learn.  The  ideal 
procedure  would  seem  to  be  to  teach  the  Ayres  words  and 
then  to  let  the  child  develop  his  own  additional  word  lists. 
He  would  get  his  method  of  study  in  each  grade  from  the  cor- 
rect studj^  of  the  AjTCs  words  and  would  know  how  to  study 
additional  words  which  he  found  necessary  for  written  self- 
expression. 

If  supplementary  words  are  to  be  used,  it  is  essential  to 
select  those  words  which  are  found  in  subjects  which  are  of 
special  interest  to  children  of  a  particular  age  and  stage  of 
development.  These  words  can  be  found  only  by  experi- 
mental studies  of  words  actually  used  by  children.  Such  a 
list  would  change  from  time  to  time  with  changing  conditions. 
For  example — the  world  war  situation  adds  many  war  words 
to  our  children's  written  vocabularies.  The  spontaneous 
written  expression  of  children,  then,  should  be  the  basis  for 
determining  this  supplementary  word  list.  Some  teachers 
insist  that  such  a  list  will  not  give  us  all  the  w^ords  a  child 
should  learn,  but  it  is  useless  to  attempt  to  give  the  child  his 
vocabulary  by  arbitrary  spelling  lessons.  The  only  way  to 
improve  a  child's  written  vocabulary  is  by  enlarging  his  inter- 
ests so  that  he  has  a  desire  to  use  more  words. 

The  most  extensive  study  of  the  words  used  by  grade  school 
children  is  that  made  by  W.  Franklin  Jones*  of  the  University 
of  South  Dakota.  Over  75,000  themes  written  ,by  1,050 
children  were  compared.  Out  of  a  total  of  15,000,000  words 
only  4,532  different  words  were  used  by  the  children.  The 
words  given  in  the  final  Jones  list  are  those  used  by  at  least 
two  per  cent  of  the  students. 


*Jones,  W.  Franklin,  Ph.D.,  Univ.  of  So.  Dakota,  Concrete  Investiga- 
tion of  the  Material  of  English  Spelling.  See  also.  The  Child's  Own 
Spelling  Book,  The  Capital  Supply  Co.,  Pierre,  So.  Dakota. 


TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING  33 

In  1914  the  Chico  word  list  was  published  in  this  state. 
This  list^  is  made  up  of  542  Ayres  words ;  of  words  selected  from 
the  list  prepared  by  Miss  Effie  Mig^adden  and  Dr.  Frederic 
Burk  of  the  San  Francisco  Normal  School ;  and  of  words  used 
by  children  in  920  school  compositions.  These  compositions 
were  selected  at  random  from  the  rural  and  city  schools  of  the 
Chico  district.  , 

Experimental  lists  irom  both  children's  and  adults'  vocabu- 
laries will  be  found  in  the  book  entitled  ''The  Child  and  His 
Spelling,"  by  W.  A.  Cook  and  M.  V.  O'Stea  ( Bobbs-Merrill 
Company).  Further  statements  with  reference  to  this  list 
will  be  found  in  the  appendix  to  the  State  Speller  (last  book 
of  this  series). 

During  the  last  few  years  Mr.  W.  C.  Groves  of  the  Ontario 
(California)  Schools  has  made  a  study  of  the  words  used  in 
2,000  spontaneous  compositions  written  by  school  children; 
1,200  of  the  compositions  were  written  by  children  in  the  state 
of  Oregon  and  the  remaining  800  by  California  children  in  the 
Ontario  district.  The  total  of  words  tabulated  was  approxi- 
mately 400,000.  The  final  list  of  most  frequently  used  words 
consists  of  2,800  words  including  the  1,000  Ayres  words.  This 
list  (unpublished)  has  been  generously  offered  to  the  State  by 
Mr,  Groves  and  was  used  in  selecting  the  words  for  the  present 
spellers. 


^C.    K.    Studley    and    Allison    Ware,    Cpmmon    Essentials    in    Spelling:, 
California,  State  Printing  Office,  1914.     ^"^ 


34  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING 


APPENDIX 

SUMMARY    OF    POINTS    TO    BE    EMPHASIZED    IN 
PRESENT  PLAN   FOR  TEACHING   SPELLING 

(1)  Omit  oral  spelling. 

(2)  Children  should  never  correct  one  another's  spelling. 

(3)  Give  extension  of  time  when  new  words  are  first  studied. 

(4)  Drill  primarily  when  words  are  studied  in  first  presenta- 
tion in  order  to  fix  permanently  the  complete  image  of 
the  word. 

(5)  Method  of  drill — Have  children  write  the  word  from 
complete  image  rather  than  copy  separate  letters  with 
the  word  in  sight. 

(6)  Never  let  drill  take  the  form  of  writing  a  word  a 
certain  number  of  times  in  such  a  way  that  the  word  can. 
be  copied  from  the  word  preceding.  It  is  the  whole 
image  that  must  be  expressed,  hence  the  necessity  for 
the  child  to  form  this  image  correctly  from  the  very 
first. 

(7)  Less  formal  drill  is  necessary  to  correct  imperfect 
images,  because  time  and  effort  have  been  used  to  make 
the  child's  first  image  correct. 

(8)  Relatively  few  words  should  be  taught  in  connection 
with  children's  formal  spelling;  most  words  are  learned 
by  the  child  himself  as  he  has  occasion  to  use  them  in 
writing.  « 

(9)  Children's  attention  should  be  directed  not  to  mastering 
of  prescribed  lists  of  words  in  a  speller,  but  to  learning 
all  words  necessary  for  their  own  self-expression  in 
writing,    so    that    the    children    will    wish   to   learn   to 


^  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING  35 

spell.  The  spelling  book  can  never  adequately  stimu- 
late the  child's .  interest  in  spelling.  This  interest 
should  result  from  his  desire  to  express  himself  in  writ- 
ing and  this  desire  to  express  himself  in  writing  must 
have  its  source  in  his  life  activities. 

(10)  In  presenting  a  new  word  the  teacher  should  not  spell 
the  word  with  the  children  orally  letter  by  letter,  but 
should  pronounce  it^Carefully  as  she  writes  it  on  the 
board,  syllable  by  syllable.  Non-phonetic  syllables  will 
sometimes  have  to  be  studied  letter  by  letter,  for 
example,  lieu-ten-ant.  The  only  syllable  needing  special 
study  is  lieu.  Clearly  it  is  a  waste  of  time  as  well  as  a 
bad  method  to  require  the  children  to  spell  the  whole 
word  orally  in  concert.  Nor  should  children  be  asked 
to  spell  words  orally  while  the  class  listens,  for  the 
same  reason  given  above. 

Children  should  clearly  understand  that  they  may 
say  the  letters  of  the  non-phonetic  syllablesr  over  to 
themselves  if  they  cannot  remember'  them  in  any  other 
way. 

Teachers  are  mistaken  if  they  believe  that  repeating  all 
the  letters  of  a  word  aloud  in  concert  helps  the  child 
to  spell  the  word.  The  time  so  spent  is  largely  wasted. 
It  ought  to  be  given  to  the  cpiiet  intensive  study  of  the 
non-phonetic  syllables  and  each  child  should  be  led  to 
do  this  in  his  own  way. 

(11)  Diacritical  marks — Do  not  confuse  children  when  learn- 
ing words  by  placing  diacritical  marks  upon  them. 
The  use  of  diacritical  marks  should  be  taught  in  con- 
nection with  language  and  reading.  Diacritical  marks 
are  keys  to  pronunciation,  but  their  presence  upon  the 
letters  of  a  word  to  be  studied  for  spelling  obscures  the 
word  itself. 


36  TEACHERS'  MANUAL  OF  SPELLING. 

(12)  The  very  young  child  is  interested  in  performing  what 
appears  to  be  a  mechanical  operation  over  and  over 
again  until  he  perfects  it  and  if  left  to  himself  will 
write  sight  words  until  he  becomes  thoroughly  pro- 
ficient in  this  form  of  expression.  The  teacher  has  only 
to  suggest  that  his  written  repetitions  should  be  made 
from  the  child's  own  memory  ini,age  and  not  copied. 
This  means  that  if  he  is  writing  on  paper  iJPshould  cover 
the  word  as  soon  as  he  has  written  it. 

(13)  Review  all  words  learned  in  the  week  at  the  end  of  the 
week ;  review  all  words  learned  in  the  month  at  the  end 
of  the  month.  The  end  of  the  month  is  a  good  time  to 
have  a  written  spelling  match. 

(14)  Children  should  not  be  drilled  on  words  they  already 
know.  The  teacher  can  use  her  ingenuity  to  avoid  this. 
Good  spellers  can  be  excused  from  the  spelling  lesson 
as  long  as  they  achieve  a  certain  standard  in  their  daily 
written  work.  Children  who  learn  rapidly  should  be 
allowed  to  look  over  the  day's  lesson  by  themselves,  and 
not  forced  to  study  it  slowly  in  class.  Children  making 
a  good  record  in  monthly  reviews  may  be  excused  from 
weekly  reviews. 

In  determining  whether  the  children  know  a  given 
list  of  words  the  teacher  may  dictate  these  words,  let- 
ting the  children  write  only  those  of  which  they  are 
certain.  In  this  way  she  may  discover  what  words  really 
need  to  be  taught. 

This  plan  should  be  used  only  when  children  can  be 
trusted :  first,  to  know  whether  they  can  spell  a  word  cor- 
rectly or  not ;  and,  second,  when  they  feel  no  compulsion 
to  write  a  word  if  they  are  doubtful  of  its  spelling. 

Although  children  should  never  be  hurried  during  the 
study  of  a  new  word,  the  teacher  should  not  drag  out 
the  drill  on  a  word  which  the  children  can  learn  rapidly. 
Monotonous  repetition  of  a  word  often  leads  to  error.    /^ 


SPELLER 


FOR 


SECOND,  THIRD,  AND  FOURTH  GRADES 


BY 

GRACE  M.  FERNALD,  PLD. 


Copyright,    1918 

By  the  People  of  the  State  of  California 

Copyright,    1918 

By  Grace  M.  Fernald 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  PRINTING  OFFICE 

SACRAMENTO 

1918 


CHILDREN'S  PREFACE 

The  Reason  for  Spelling 

You  study  spelling  in  school  so  that  you  may  write  words 
correctly. 

How  Words  Can  Be  Remembered 

The  words  you  are  expected  to  study  are  usually  either 
written  on  the  blackboard  or  given  to  you  in  books.  In 
order  that  you  may  be  able  to  write  a  word  correctly  you 
must  remember  it  in  some  way,  so  that  you  will  know  how 
to  write  it  when  you  do  not  have  a  copy  of  it  before  you. 
Some  people  remember  words  by  getting  pictures  of  them  in 
their  minds,  other  people  have  to  think  how  the  words  or  the 
letters  sound  when  they  say  them,  and  still  others  have  to 
feel  themselves  writing  the  words. 

What  You  Should  Do  to  Learn  a  New  Word 

1.  Look  at  the  word  very  carefully  and  say  it  over 
to  yourself.  If  you  are  not  sure  of  the  pronuncia- 
tion, ask  the  teacher  to  say  it  for  you  or  else  look  it 
up  in  the  dictionary. 

2.  See  if  the  word  can  be  written  just  the  way 
you  say  it.  Mark  any  part  of  the  word  that  cannot 
be  written  the  way  you  say  it. 

3.  Shut  your  eyes  and  see  if  you  can  get  a  picture 
of  the  word  in  your  mind.  If  you  cannot  get  a 
clear  picture  of  the  word,  you  can  remember  the 
parts  that  are  written  the  way  you  say  them  by 
pronouncing  the  word  over  to  yourself  or  feeling 
your  hand  make  the  movements  of  writing  the  word. 
If  you  are  learning  the  word  ** separate,"  all  you 
need  to  do  is  to  say  the  word  "separate"  to  yourself 
very  carefully  and  then  write  what  you  say. 


4  CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 

If  there  are  any  parts  of  a  word  which  you  cannot 
write  the  way  you  say  them,  try  to  get  a  clear 
picture  of  these  syllables  in  your  mind.  If  you 
cannot  get  a  perfectly  clear  picture  of  these  parts 
of  the  word,  you  will  probably  have  to  remember 
them  by  saying  something  you  can  write.  Say  the 
letters,  if  necessary,  for  these  syllables  of  the  word, 
but  not  for  the  rest  of  the  word.  For  example,  in 
the  word  "lieutenant,"  you  could  write  the  last 
part  of  the  word  the  way  you  say  it,  but  you  would 
have  to  get  a  picture  of  the  first  part  of  the  word, 
lieu,  or  else  you  would  have  to  say  the  letters 
1-i-e-uor  feel  your  hand  moving  as  it  does  when 
you  write  the  letters. 

4.  When  you  are  perfectly  sure  of  every  part  of 
the  word,  shut  your  book  or  cover  the  word  and 
write  it,  saying  each  syllable  to  yourself  while  you 
write  it. 

5.  If  the  word  is  difficult,  turn  the  paper  over  and 
write  it  again.  Never  copy  the  word  directly  from 
the  book  or  from  the  one  you  have  just  written,  but 
always  write  it  from  your  memory  of  it. 

6.  Later  in  the  day  try  writing  the  word  again 
from  memory.  If  you  are  not  sure  of  it,  look  it  up 
again  before  you  try  to  write  it. 

What  Words  Should  Be  Learned 

Some  words  have  to  be  used  no  matter  what  we  happen  to 
be  writing  about.  We  should  learn  these  first  of  all. 
Dr.  Ayres  of  The  Russell  Sage  Foundation  has  made  a  list  of 
the  1,000  words  that  seem  to  be  the  most  common  in 
the  English  language.  You  will  find  these  words  printed  in 
this  book  in  heavy  type  at  the  beginning  of  each  grade  list. 
Be  sure  to  learn  them  very  thoroughly  because  they  will 
always  be  useful  to  you. 


SECOND,  THIRD,  FOURTH  GRADES  6 

Use  of  Alphabetical  Word  List  at  End  of  Book 

At  the  end  of  your  book  all  the  words  in  the  whole  book 
are  arranged  in  alphabetical  order  so  that  you  can  find  very 
quickly  any  word  you  have  ever  studied.  If  you  are  doubt- 
ful about  the  spelling  of  any  word,  look  it  up  and  do  just 
what  you  do  when  you  learn  a  word  the  first  time.  Picture 
it,  if  you  can,  say  it  over  to  yourself,  mark  any  part  you 
cannot  write  as  you  say  it,  shut  your  book  and  write  the 
word.  This  will  take  a  few  seconds  when  you  look  the 
word  up,  but  will  save  you  much  time  when  you  need  to 
use  the  word  in  business  or  other  writing. 

Make  Your  Own  Spelling  Book 

The  Speller  gives  words  that  you  will  all  probably  need 
to  use  in  writing,  but,  in  addition  to  these,  you  must 
have  some  words  that  tell  about  the  things  that  especially 
interest  you.  You  should  have  a  list  of  your  own  words — 
we  call  it  your  own  vocabulary — just  as  you  have  your  own 
clothes  and  toys  and  other  possessions. 

Each  year  make  a  little  book  of  your  own  and  write  in 
it  all  the  words  that  specially  belong  to  you.  Be  sure 
that  every  word  in  the  book  is  really  yours  and  not  just 
borrowed  from  the  dictionary.  Have  it  a  real  part  of 
you  before  you  write  it  in  your  book  and  then  write  it  once 
in  a  while  to  be  sure  you  do  not  lose  it. 

Never  Write  a  Word  Incorrectly 

If  you  are  not  sure  how  to  write  a  word,  ask  the  teacher 
or  look  it  up  in  your  speller  or  your  dictionary.  If  you  will 
do  this,  it  will  soon  be  so  natural  for  you  to  write  the  word 
correctly  that  you  will  never  write  it  any  other  way. 


a  CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 

TEACHER'S  PREFACE 

The  selection  of  words  in  this  book  is  based  entirely  on 
experimental  studies  of  the  words  actually  used  by  school 
children.  We  are  indebted  to  The  Russell  Sage  Foundation, 
to  Prof.  W.  Franklin  Jones  of  the  University  of  South 
Dakota,  and  to  Mr.  J.  W.  Groves,  Supervising  Principal  of 
the  Ontario  (California)  Schools,  for  permission  to  use 
extensive  experimental  lists  already  worked  out. 

These  word  lists  were  supplemented  by  lists  made  up  of 
the  words  used  in  8,000  compositions  written  by  California 
school  children.  These  compositions  were  collected  by  the 
Southern  California  Committee  on  Minimum  Essentials.! 
One  thousand  of  these  compositions  are  from  Los  Angeles 
schools,!  and  the  remainder  from  districts  represented  by 
various  members  of  the  committee. 

CONTENT  OF  WORD  LISTS 

Words  in  Group  A.  The  words  printed  in  heavy  type  at 
the  beginning  of  each  grade  list  are  the  Ayres  words  for  that 
grade.*  (See  Manual,  Chapt.  V.)  The  Ayres  words  must  be 
taught  because  the  child  will  need  them  "no  matter  what  the 
subject  under  discussion  may  be.''  Children  should  have  the 
significance  of  the  Ayres  words  explained  to  them.  If  this 
is  done,  it  will  be  found  that  most  of  the  children  will 
become  very  much  interested  in  mastering  these  words. 
Children's  interest  in  the  Ayres  list  may  be  stimulated  by 
suggesting  that  they  check  up  the  words  in  stories  and 
school  books  to  see  how  many  words  on  a  given  page  or  in  a 


tMembers  of  committee :  Mr.  W.  C.  Roberts,  Santa  Ana,  Chairman ; 
Miss  Edith  Blakemore,  Pomona ;  Miss  Carrie  Barton,  Long  Beach ;  Miss 
Ava  Gary,  Santa  Monica  ;  Miss  Elizabeth  Wright,  Redlands ;  Miss  Inez  E. 
Hancock,  Riverside ;  Miss  Edith  Urquhart,  San  Bernardino ;  L.  Elston 
Glenn,   Pasadena. 

^Schools  contributing  compositions :  Logan  Street,  East  Sixteenth 
Street,  East  First  Street,  and  Grant. 

*In  this  book,  79  per  cent  in  terms  of  the  Ayers  Scale  was  taken  as  the 
upper  limit  for  the  Ayres  words  of  each  grade  list. 


SECOND,  THIRD,  FOURTH  GRADES  7 

given  paragraph  are  Ayres  words.  The  alphabetical  list  of 
words  at  the  end  of  the  book  can  be  used  for  this  as  the 
Ayres  words  are  in  heavy  type.  As  soon  as  the  children 
realize  that  a  thousand  words  constitute  approximately  nine- 
tenths  of  all  the  words  they  will  need  to  use  in  ordinary 
writing,  they  take  the  initiative  in  making  themselves  per- 
fect in  the  use  of  these  words. 

Words  in  Group  B.  The  second  section  of  the  words  in 
each  grade  is  composed  of  words  which  are  common  to  at 
least  the  Jones,  the  Ontario  and  to  our  own  word  lists,  but 
are  not  in  the  Ayres  list.  The  fact  that  certain  words 
are  found  in  all  these  lists  means  that  these  words  are 
those  used  by  children  of  a  given  grade  in  discussing 
those  subjects  which  interest  them  at  a  certain  age.  The 
ideal  way  to  teach  these  words  would  be  in  connection  with 
the  child's  individual  interests.  The  child  who  is  learning 
words  because  he  wishes  to  use  them  in  self-expression  has 
a  genuine  interest  in  the  words  themselves.  IMoreover,  the 
motor  expression — writing  the  word — is  spontaneous  and 
repeated  each  time  the  child  has  occasion  to  use  the  word, 
so  that  the  habit  of  writing  the  word  correctly  is  formed 
without  the  tedious  formal  ''drill  work"  which  has  been  so 
irksome  to  most  children.  The  teacher  who  will  teach  words 
so  that  the  child  learns  for  himself  those  words  which  he 
wishes  to  write,  can  use  the  Speller  merely  as  an  outline  for 
the  final  review  at  the  end  of  the  term.  If  the  words  are 
correctly  chosen  and  the  child  has  been  correctly  taught, 
he  will  know  the  words  included  in  Group  B. 

Words  in  Group  C.  The  third  section  of  words  in  each 
grade  is  made  up  of  those  which  are  in  the  California  lists 
only.  These  words  are  important  as  most  of  them  are  either 
California  words,  such  as  bungulow,  arroyo,  Japanese,  or 
they  are  war  words  representing  the  shift  of  interest  to  the 
world  war  conditions. 


8  CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 

Alphabetical  List  of  Words.^  At  the  end  of  the  first  book 
is  an  alphabetical  list  of  all  the  words  in  the  book,  so  that 
the  child  may  readily  find  any  word  that  he  has  ever 
learned,  when  he  has  occasion  to  use  it.  A  similar  list,  at 
the  end  of  the  second  book,  will  give  all  the  words  in  both 
books.  The  child  should  be  encouraged  to  look  up  any  word 
he  is  not  sure  he  can  spell  correctly,  take  a  moment  to  fix 
the  word,  and  then  write  it  from  the  memory  image.  The 
child  who  makes  it  a  rule  never  to  write  a  word  incorrectly 
cannot  escape  ultimate  mastery  of  the  words  he  writes. 
The  word  list  in  each  book  will  be  very  easy  to  handle  and 
will  give  the  child  means  of  avoiding  bad  word  habits.^ 

Supplementary  Individual  Lists.  From  the  very  begin- 
ning of  his  written  work,  the  child  should  have  his  own 
individual  word  list.  In  each  grade  he  should  have  a  little 
book  which  he  can  make  and  decorate  himself,  and  in 
which  he  can  write  all  the  new  words  he  has  occasion  to 
use.  In  this  book  he  would  have  the  names  of  the  members 
of  his  own  family,  his  pets,  local  objects  of  interest,  words 
(whether  in  his  speller  or  not)  that  have  given  him  special 
difficulty,  and  all  those  words  that  deal  with  his  own  special 
interests  as  distinct  from  those  of  any  one  else. 

The  book  should  represent,  furthermore,  the  child's  actual 
writing  vocabulary.  He  should  learn  each  word  before  he 
writes  it  in  his  book  and  should  test  himself  on  the  words 
from  time  to  time  to  be  sure  that  he  can  write  them 
correctly. 

Methods  of  Teaching  Spelling.  Details  concerning 
methods  of  instruction  in  spelling  are  given  in  the  Manual 
which  accompanies  this  series  of  textbooks.  The  teacher  is 
earnestly  requested  to  give  careful  attention  to  the  problems 
discussed  in  this  Manual,  as  it  is  much  more  important  that 


^A  few  of  the  words  given  in  the  alphabetical  list  are  omitted  in  the; 
lessons.  These  are  words  which  the  children  used,  but  which  it  does  not 
seem  desirable  to  emphasize. 


^^CO:tfD,  TBlttD,  Fount H  GttADMS  D 

the  child  should  know  how  to  study  new  words  than  that 
he  shouM  be  forced  arbitrarily  to  memorize  any  fixed  series 
of  words. 

Context  for  Spelling  Words.  No  attempt  has  been  made 
to  arrange  sentences  for  the  words  in  the  speller.  Such 
sentences  are  artificial  and  lacking  in  contextual  value. 
Moreover  such  sentences  as  are  usually  given  in  spelling 
books  tend  co  fix  peculiar  and  limited  associations  with  the 
word.  The  context  for  the  word  should  be  some  idea  which 
the  child  wishes  to  express  in  writing.  Words  should  not 
be  forced  upon  the  child  before  he  has  this  background  for 
them.  We  give  children  enough  verbal  inanities  without 
compiling  our  spelling  books  on  this  principle. 

As  has  already  been  stated,  the  purpose  of  the  spelling 
lesson  should  be  to  teach  words  which  the  child  has  already 
used  in  speech  or  in  reading  and  which  he  now  wishes  to 
use  in  writing.  The  child  should  early  form  the  habit  of 
looking  up  in  the  dictionary  all  words  whose  meaning  he 
does  not  know. 


10 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


SECOND  GRADE 

List  A  (Ayres  Words) 


me 

you 

time 

ring 

do 

will 

may 

live 

and 

we 

into 

kill 

go 

an 

him 

late 

at 

my 

today 

let 

on 

up 

look 

big 

a 

last 

did 

mother 

it 

not 

like 

three 

is 

us 

six 

land 

she 

am 

boy 

cold 

can 

good 

book 

hot 

see 

little 

by 

hat 

run 

ago 

have 

child 

the 

old 

are 

ice 

in 

bad 

had 

play 

so 

red 

over 

sea 

no 

of 

must 

day 

now 

be 

make 

eat 

man 

but 

school 

sit 

ten 

this 

street 

lot 

bed 

aU 

say 

box 

top 

your 

come 

belong 

he 

out 

hand 

door 

SECOND,  THIRD,  FOURTH  GRADES 


11 


yes 

way- 

I 

baby 

low 

get 

as 

well 

soft 

home 

send 

about 

stand 

much 

one 

men 

yard 

call 

has 

for 

bring 

long 

some 

ran 

tell 

love 

if 

was 

five 

then 

how 

that 

ball 

house 

her 

his 

law 

year 

them 

led 

ask 

to 

other 

lay 

just 

12 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


THII 

ID  GRADE 

List  A  (Ayres  Words) 

nine 

lake 

letter 

seven 

face 

page 

take 

forget 

miss 

nice 

Mr. 

happy 

ride 

end 

after 

noon 

tree 

fall 

thing 

think 

sick 

'      feet 

what 

sister 

got 

went 

than 

cast 

north 

back 

its 

card 

white 

away- 

very 

south 

spent 

paper 

or 

deep 

foot 

put 

thank 

inside 

blow 

each 

dear 

blue 

block 

soon 

west 

post 

spring 

came 

sold 

town 

river 

Sunday 

told 

stay 

plant 

show 

best 

grand 

cut 

Monday 

form 

outside 

song 

yet 

far 

dark 

winter 

find 

gave 

band 

stone 

give 

alike 

game 

free 

new 

add 

boat 

4*     ' 

r 

t 

SECOND,  THIRD, 

FOURTH  GRADED 

;                  13 

rest 

want 

print 

any 

east 

girl 

air 

could 

son 

part 

fill 

should 

help 

still 

along 

city 

hard 

place 

lost 

only 

race 

report 

name 

where 

cover 

never 

room 

week 

fire 

found 

hope 

first 

age 

side 

same 

sent 

gold 

kind 

glad 

mile 

read 

life 

with 

seem 

fine 

here 

mine 

even 

cannot 

car 

became 

without 

May 

word 

brother 

afternoon 

line 

every 

rain 

Friday 

left 

under 

keep 

hour 

ship 

most 

start 

wife 

train 

made 

mail 

state 

saw 

said 

eye 

July 

pay 

work 

glass 

head 

large 

our 

party 

story 

near 

more 

upon 

open 

down 

when 

two 

short 

why 

from 

they 

lady 

bill 

wind 

would 

reach 

14 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


better 

delay 

finish 

full 

water 

pound 

hurt 

fail 

round 

behind 

maybe 

set 

cost 

around 

across 

stamp 

price 

bum 

tonight 

light 

become 

camp 

tenth 

coming 

class 

bear 

sir 

cent 

horse 

clear 

these 

night 

care 

clean 

club 

pass 

try 

spell 

seen 

shut 

move 

poor 

felt 

easy 

Lists 


mama 

grandma 

cousin 

master 

papa 

grandpa 

nurse 

self 

pet 

dog 

bird 

robin 

puppy 

cat 

pigeon 

duck 

goose 

cow 

hen 

rat 

geese 

pig 

fish 

mice 

food 

dinner 

soup 

loaf 

dough 

supper 

milk 

^gg 

bread 

cream 

cookies 

apple 

butter 

com 

cake 

lemon 

SECOND,  THIRD, 

FOURTH  GRADES 

crumbs 

cook 

fry 

fed 

flour 

cooking 

drink 

feed 

dish 

bowl 

fork 

spoon 

cup 

bottle 

pan 

shelf 

basket 

clock 

cloth 

rope 

clothes 

bell 

string 

bag 

hall 

chair 

quilt 

pen 

floor 

cradle 

ink 

pencil 

farm 

fence 

mill 

buggy 

barn 

gate 

cart 

sled 

shovel 

seed 

nut 

dig 

chop 

acorn 

hay 

digging 

dry 

pull 

hit 

dug 

drying 

climb 

wipe 

hunt 

laugh 

sat 

fly 

float 

ate 

bite 

flew 

roll 

fade 

chasing 

crack 

comb 

chase 

saving 

break 

curl 

rose 

dust 

snow 

sky 

rock 

sand 

mud 

sun 

bark 

brush 

leaf 

park 

log 

branch 

moss 

pasture 

15 


16 

CALIFORNIA 

STATE  SPELLER 

rode 

dream 

dance 

awake 

sleep 

dreamed 

dancing 

hide 

kiss 

giant 

shadow 

bee 

kissed 

fairy 

hid 

bug 

bat 

count 

rang 

stepped 

bow 

bent 

absent 

tried 

ear 

finger 

leg 

arm 

nose 

hair 

toes 

tongue 

hadn't 

wouldn't 

doing 

having 

didn't 

can't 

going 

jumping 

cap 

yellow 

green 

wore 

shoes 

pink 

gray 

worn 

shop 

tin 

hill 

iU 

brass 

tip 

bud 

till 

sad 

cross 

dare 

gun 

cry 

broken 

bare 

fun 

obey 

fast 

cool 

recess 

asked 

faster 

color 

corner 

dirt 

bath 

lie 

sitting 

muddy 

bathe 

lying 

stayed 

met 

choose 

neat 

sow 

boil 

empty 

wave 

fond 

SECOND,  THIRD,  FOURTH  GRADES 


17 


tea 

cheese 

birthday 

button 

candy 

bun 

tale 

coat 

animal 

ostrich 

garden 

jump 

brood 

ant 

stories 

flies 

balloon 

drum 

organ 

funny 

arms 

gum 

doll 

bigger 

scare 

lame 

danger 

damp 

shine 

blind 

dull 

wet 

bone 

fur 

rags 

mad 

blood 

row 

spool 

swing 

lit 

blufe 

burnt 

besides 

lift 

hasn't 

weak 

below 

beauty 

violet 

sweet 

higher 

moon 

branches 

ripe 

nearer 

List  C 

farmer 

swallow 

pick 

job 

beans 

waited 

cried 

stranger 

fan 

toy 

playing 

played 

frog 

hole 

buying 

fat 

bop 

tag 

peach 

beat 

arrow 

battle 

Red  Cross 

sling 

18 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


FOURTH  GRADE 

List  A 

(Ayres  Words) 

catch 

above 

dead 

extra 

black 

express 

leave 

dress 

warm 

turn 

early 

beside 

unless 

lesson 

close 

teach 

clothing 

half 

flower 

happen 

began 

father 

nothing 

begun 

able 

anything 

ground 

collect 

gone 

table 

lead 

file 

suit 

high 

such 

provide 

track 

talk 

many 

sight 

watch 

June 

morning 

stood 

dash 

right 

however 

fix 

fell 

date 

mind 

born 

fight 

road 

shall 

goes 

buy 

March 

alone 

hold 

stop 

next 

order 

drill 

walk 

indeed 

third 

army 

grant 

four 

push 

pretty  t/ 

soap 

herself 

point 

stole 

news 

power 

within 

income 

small 

wish 

done 

bought 

war 

because 

body 

paid 

summer 

world 

trust 

enter 

SECOND,  THIRD,  FOURTH  GRADES                       19 

contract 

office 

something 

matter 

deal 

great 

write 

use 

almost 

Miss 

expect 

thought 

brought 

who 

need 

person 

less 

died 

thus 

nor 

event 

change 

woman 

January 

off 

wire 

'^ou^^ 

mean 

true 

few 

fair 

vote 

took 

please 

dollar 

courl 

again 

picture 

evening 

copy 

inform 

money 

plan 

act 

both 

ready 

broke 

been 

heart 

omit 

feel 

yesterday 

month 

anyway 

sure 

among 

children 

except 

least 

country 

build 

aunt 

sorry 

meet 

understand 

capture 

press 

another 

follow 

wrote 

God 

trip 

charge 

else 

teacher 

list 

says 

bridge 

November 

*peqpl0^^^^>^ 

member 

check 

subject     ' 

everw    r    ^_ 
held          ' 

case 

prove 

April 

while 

heard 

history 
cause 

church      ^     ^ 

also 

inspect 

once 

return 

itself 

study 

own 

those 

always 

himself 

before 

20 

CALIFORNIA  STAf^  SPELLER 

1 

know 

steamer 

rule 

hear 

were 

speak 

carry 

size 

railroad 

past 

chain 

December 

unable 

might 

death 

dozen 

ticket 

begin 

learn 

there 

account 

offer 

wonder 

tax 

driven 

suffer 

tire 

number 

real 

built 

pair 

October 

recover 

center 

question 

reason 

mountain 

front 

doctor 

fifth       , . 

/y 


ListB 

cottage 

cellar 

chimney 

drawer 

cupboard 

ashes 

basement 

stove 

babies 

asleep 

king 

grandmother 

crib 

prince 

queen 

grandfather 

chicken 

pony 

deer 

sheep 

rabbit 

goat 

calf 

kitten 

invite 

lawn 

thick 

mow 

goodby 

rake 

grown 

wash 

sugar 

sunny 

cherry 

daisy 

orange 

creek 

holiday 

bouquet 

SECOND,  THIRD 

',  FOURTH  GRADES 

circus 

elephant 

tame 

trick 

cage 

monkey 

savage 

fox 

Indian 

village 

silent 

trap 

desert 

pole 

captured 

target 

angry 

worry 

smile 

die 

quarrel 

wrong 

tired 

dying 

poem 

desk 

pupil 

program 

studying 

review 

taught 

mark 

repeat 

pray 

share 

gain 

replied 

draw 

save 

aim 

needle 

sharp 

kite 

useful 

knife 

stick 

middle 

awhile 

earth 

marble 

nickel 

iron 

gravel 

rubber 

copper 

silver 

earn 

bank 

drop 

kept 

borrow 

sign 

dropped 

grabbed 

usually 

rise 

arithmetic 

example 

haven't 

taking 

geography 

truth 

naughty 

greedy 

cute 

worse 

loud 

easily 

grave 

lazy 

habit 

join 

threw 

scream 

frown 

hired 

shook 

cries 

21 


22 

CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 

discover 

deliver 

bathing 

knock 

discovered 

gather 

listen 

brick 

ditch 

haul 

drainage 

powder 

ditches 

riding 

bottom 

fuel 

lumber 

fruit 

barrel 

nail 

chopped 

market 

hammer 

grocery 

brakeman 

passenger 

owner 

guard 

team 

depot 

baggage 

manager 

cloud 

bonfire 

steep 

playmate 

cloudy 

canoe 

nest 

nephew 

butterfly 

creature 

fern 

ocean 

canary 

fairies 

smell 

palm 

beyond 

anybody 

alive 

ourselves 

whenever 

nobody 

frighten 

somebody 

excuse 

tie 

quit 

grade 

explain 

tied 

grab 

lean 

carriage 

trolley 

motor 

puncture 

wagon 

wheel 

journey 

garage 

porch 

pail 

roof 

candle 

pump 

bucket 

stairs 

blanket 

hang 

sink 

swim 

dive 

touch 

drove 

swimming 

skate 

SECOND,  THIRD 

•,  FOURTH  GRADES 

twenty 

eleven 

division 

hundred 

twelve 

fifteen 

double 

thousand 

collar 

pocket 

umbrella 

apron 

ribbon 

waist 

feather 

cloak 

bushes 

berry 

peaches 

oats 

cotton 

berries 

walnut 

crops 

grow 

frost 

caught 

patch 

grew 

rainy 

sprinkle 

onion 

picnic 

hungry 

autumn 

breakfast 

lunch 

pie 

rising 

peanuts 

chosen 

popped 

bodies 

beggar 

clever 

beaten 

circle 

acting 

neck 

mouse 

dime 

oak 

silly 

tail 

thirteen 

spot 

growing 

drawing 

living 

facing 

hiring 

cutting 

making 

trying 

crown 

rich 

noise 

queer 

boast 

blossom 

noisy 

square 

called 

given 

hurry 

freeze 

cough 

laid 

pause 

tipped 

safe 

lovely 

using 

season 

safely 

loving 

laughed 

nature 

23 


24 

CALIFORNIA 

STATE  SPELLER 

hook 

sound 

twice 

beast 

ferry 

lettuce 

path 

dropping 

tight 

cure 

pain 

stuck 

closet 

daily 

severe 

stare 

store 

honest 

handful 

couldn't 

butcher 

strong 

errand 

isn't 

wood 

wrap 

smoke 

whistle 

used 

beach 

heat 

skill 

bit 

column 

rifle 

fierce 

canteen 

march 

sword 

brave 

sailor 

allies 

fought 

victory 

captain 

hero 

fighting 

freedom 

List  0 

hoUy 

poppies          knit 

painted 

fig 

raining          planted 

tent 

biggest 

battleship     U-boat 

tinfoil 

America         American 

flag 

SECOND,  THIRD,  FOURTH  GRADES 


25 


ALPHABETICAL  LIST  OF  WORDS 


Note:  Words  printed  in  heavy 

type  are  Ayres  ^ 

words. 

A 

American 

autumn 

beans 

a 

among 

awake 

bear 

able 

an 

away 

beast 

about 

and 

awhile 

beat 

above 

angry 

beaten 

absent 

animal 

B 

beauty 

account 

a.n  other 

babies 

beca,nie 

acorn 

ant 

baby 

because 

across 

any 

back 

become 

act 

anybody 

bad 

bed 

acting 

anything 

bag 

bee 

add 

anyway 

baggage 

been 

after 

apple 

ball 

before 

afternoon 

April 

balloon 

began 

again 

apron 

band 

beggar 

age 

are 

bank 

begin 

ago 

arithmetic 

bare 

begun 

aim 

arm 

bark 

behind 

aJr 

arms 

barn 

bell 

alike 

army 

barrel 

belong 

alive 

around 

basement 

below 

all 

arrow 

basket 

bent 

allies 

as 

bat 

berries 

almost 

ashes 

bath 

berry 

alone 

ask 

bathe 

beside 

along 

asked 

bathing 

besides 

also 

asleep 

battle 

best 

always 

at 

battleship 

better 

am 

ate 

be 

beyond 

America 

aunt 

beach 

big 

26 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


bigger 

boy 

buying 

cause 

biggest 

brakeman 

by 

cellar 

biU 

branch 

cent 

bird 

branches 

0 

center 

birthday- 

brass 

cage 

chain 

bit 

brave 

cake 

chair 

bite 

bread 

calf 

change 

black 

break 

call 

charge 

blanket 

breakfast 

called 

chase 

blind 

brick 

came 

chasing 

block 

bridge 

camp 

check 

blood 

bring 

can 

cheese 

blossom 

broke 

canary 

cherry 

blow 

broken 

candle 

chicken 

blue 

brood 

candy 

child 

bluff 

brother 

cannot 

children 

boast 

brought 

canoe 

chimney 

boat 

brush 

can't 

choose 

bodies 

bucket 

canteen. 

chop 

body 

bud 

cap 

chopped 

boil 

bug 

captain 

chosen 

bone 

buggy 

capture 

church 

bonfire 

build 

captured 

circle 

book 

built 

car 

circus 

bom 

bun 

card 

city 

borrow 

burn 

care 

class 

both 

burnt 

carriage 

clean 

bottle 

bushes 

carry 

clear 

bottom 

but 

cart 

clever 

bought 

butcher 

case 

climb 

bouquet 

butter 

cast 

cloak 

bow 

butterfly 

cat 

clock 

bowl 

button 

catch 

close 

box 

buy 

caught 

closet 

SECOND,  THIRD,  FOURTH  GRADES 


27 


cloth 

cover 

day 

dollar 

clothes 

cow 

dead 

done 

clothing 

crack 

deal 

door 

cloud 

cradle 

dear 

double 

cloudy 

cream 

death 

dough 

club 

creature 

December 

down 

coat 

creek 

deep 

dozen 

cold 

crib 

deer 

drainage 

collar 

cried 

delay 

draw 

collect 

cries 

deliver 

drawer 

color 

crops 

depot 

drawing 

column 

cross 

desert 

dream 

comb 

crown 

desk 

dreamed 

come 

crumbs 

did 

dress 

coming 

cry 

didn't 

driU 

contract 

cup 

die 

drink 

cook 

cupboard 

died 

driven 

cookies 

cure 

dig 

drop 

cooking 

curl 

digging 

dropped 

cool 

cut 

dime 

dropping 

copper 

cute 

dinner 

drove 

copy 

cutting 

dirt 

drum 

corn 

discover 

dry 

corner 

D 

discovered 

drying 

cost 

daily 

dish 

duck 

cottage 

daisy 

ditch 

dug 

cotton 

damp 

ditches 

dull 

cough 

dance 

dive 

dust 

could 

dancing 

division 

dying 

couldn't    . 

danger 

do 

count 

dare 

doctor 

E 

country 

dark 

dog 

each 

court 

dash 

doing 

ear 

cousin 

date 

doll 

early 

28 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


earn 

fairies 

fire 

frown 

earth 

fairy 

first 

fruit 

easily 

fall 

fish 

fry 

east 

fan 

five 

fuel 

easy 

far 

fix 

full 

eat 

farm 

flag 

fun 

egg 

farmer 

flew 

funny 

elephant 

fast 

flies 

fur 

eleven 

faster 

float 

else 

fat 

floor 

G 

empty 

father 

flour 

gain 

end 

feather 

fiower 

game 

enter 

fed 

fly 

garage 

errand 

feed 

follow 

garden 

even 

feel 

fond 

gate 

evening 

feet 

food 

gather 

event 

fell 

foot 

gave 

ever 

felt 

for 

geese 

every 

fence 

forget 

geography 

example 

fern 

fork 

get 

except 

ferry 

form 

giant 

excuse 

few 

fought 

girl 

expect 

fierce 

found 

give 

explain 

fifteen 

four 

given 

express 

fifth 

fox 

glad 

extra 

fig 

free 

glass 

eye 

fight 

freedom 

go 

fighting 

freeze 

goat 

F 

file 

Friday 

God 

face 

fill 

frighten 

goes 

facing 

find 

frog 

going 

fade 

fine 

from 

gold 

fail 

finger 

front 

gone 

fair 

finish 

frost 

good 

SECOND,  THIRD,  FOURTH  GRADES 


29 


goodby 

hall 

him 

income 

goose 

hammer 

himself 

indeed 

got 

hand 

hired 

Indian 

grab 

handful 

hiring 

infoim 

grabbed 

hang 

his 

ink 

grade 

happen 

history 

inside 

grand 

happy 

hit 

inspect 

grandfather 

hard 

hold 

into 

grandma 

has 

hole 

invite 

grandmother 

hasn't 

holiday 

iron 

grandpa 

hat 

holly 

is 

grant 

haul 

.   home 

isn't 

grave 

have 

honest 

it 

gravel 

haven 't 

hook 

its 

gray 

having 

hop 

itself 

great 

hay 

hope 

greedy 

he 

horse 

J 

green 

head 

hot 

January 

grew 

hear 

hour 

job 

grocery 

heard 

house 

joined 

ground 

heart 

how 

journey 

grow 

heat 

however 

July 

growing 

held 

hundred 

jump 

grown 

help 

hungry 

jumping 

guard 

hen 

hunt 

June 

gum 

her 

hurt 

just 

gun 

here 

hurry 

hero 

K 

H 

herself 

I 

keep 

habit 

hid 

I 

kept 

had 

hide 

ice 

kill 

hadn't 

high 

if 

kind 

hair 

higher 

iU 

king 

half 

hiU  • 

in 

kiss 

30 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


kissed 

let 

make 

month 

kite 

letter 

making 

moon 

kitten 

lettuce 

mama 

more 

knife 

lick 

man 

morning 

knit 

lie 

manager 

moss 

knock 

life 

many 

most 

know 

lift 

marble 

mother 

light 

March 

motor 

L 

like 

march 

mountain 

lady 

line 

mark 

mouse 

laid 

list 

market 

move 

lake 

listen 

master 

mow 

lame 

lit 

matter 

Mr. 

la-nd 

little 

May 

much 

large 

live 

may 

mud 

last 

living 

maybe 

muddy 

late 

loaf 

me 

must 

laugh 

log 

mean 

my 

laughed 

long 

meet 

law 

look 

member 

N 

lawn 

lost 

men 

nail 

lay- 

lot 

met 

name 

lazy 

loud 

mice 

nature 

lead 

love 

middle 

naughty 

leaf 

lovely 

might 

near 

lean 

loving 

mile 

nearer 

learn 

low 

milk 

neat 

least 

lumber 

mill 

neck 

leave 

lunch 

mind 

need 

led 

lying 

mine 

needle 

left 

Miss 

nephew 

leg 

M 

miss 

nest 

lemon 

mad 

Monday 

never 

less 

made 

money 

new 

lesson 

mail 

monkey 

news 

SECOND,  THIRD,  FOURTH  GRADES 


3] 


next 

once 

passenger 

point 

nice 

one 

past 

pole 

nickel 

onion 

pasture 

pony 

night 

only 

patch 

poor 

nine 

open 

path 

popped 

no 

or 

pause 

poppies 

nobody 
noise 

orange 
order 

pay 

peach 

porch 
post 

noisy 

noon 

nor 

north 

nose 

not 

organ 

ostrich 

other 

our 

ourselves 

out 

peaches 

peanuts 

pen 

pencil 

people 

pound 

powder 
power 
pray 
press 

nothing 

outside 

person 

pretty 

November 

over 

pet 

price 

now 

own 

pick 

prince 

number 

owner 

picnic 

print 

nurse 

picture 

program 

nut 

P 

pie 

prove 

page 

pig 

provide 

0 

paid 

pigeon 

pull 

oak 

pail 

pink 

pump 

oats 

pain 

place 

puncture 

obey 

painted 

plan 

pupil 

ocean 

pair 

plant 

puppy 

October 

palm 

planted 

push 

of 

pan 

play 

put 

off 

papa 

played 

offer 

paper 

playing 

Q 

office 

park 

playmate 

quarrel 

old 

part 

please 

queen 

omit 

party 

pocket 

queer 

on 

pass 

poem 

question 

32 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


quilt 

rifle 

saw 

shut 

quit 

right 

say 

sick 

ring 

says 

side 

B 

ripe 

scare 

sight 

rabbit 

rise 

school 

sign 

race 

rising 

scream 

silent 

rags 

river 

sea 

silly 

railroad 

road 

season 

silver 

rain 

robin 

see 

sink 

raining 

rock 

seed 

sir 

rainy- 

rode 

seem 

sister 

rake 

roll 

seen 

sit 

ran 

roof 

self 

sitting 

rang 

room 

send 

six 

rat 

rope 

sent 

size 

reach 

rose 

set 

skate 

read 

round 

seven 

skill 

ready 

row 

severe 

sky 

real 

rubber 

shadow 

sled 

reason 

rule 

shall 

sleep 

recess 

run 

share 

sling 

recover 

sharp 

small 

red 

S 

she 

smell 

Red  Cross 

sad 

sheep 

smile 

repeat 

safe 

shelf 

smoke 

replied 

safely 

shine 

snow 

report 

said 

ship 

so 

rest 

sailor 

shoes 

soap  " 

return 

same 

shook 

soft 

review 

sand 

shop 

sold 

ribbon 

sat 

short 

some 

rich 

savage 

should 

somebody 

ride 

save 

shovel 

something 

riding 

saving 

show 

son 

SECOND,  THIRD,  FOURTH  GRADES 


33 


song 

store 

taking 

threw 

soon 

stories 

tale 

thus 

sorry 

story 

talk 

ticket 

sound 

stove 

tame 

tie 

soup 

stranger 

target 

tied 

south 

street 

taught 

tight 

sow 

string 

tax 

till 

speak 

strong 

tea 

time 

spell 

stuck 

teach 

tin 

spent 

study 

teacher 

tinfoil 

spool 

studying 

team 

tip 

spoon 

subject 

tell 

tipped 

spot 

such 

ten 

tire 

spring 

suffer 

tent 

tired 

sprinkle 

sugar 

tenth 

to 

square 

suit 

than 

today 

stairs 

summer 

thank 

toes 

stamp 

sun 

that 

told 

stand 

Sunday 

the 

tongue 

stare 

sunny 

them 

tonight 

start 

supper 

then 

took 

state 

sure 

there 

top 

stay 

swallow 

these 

touch 

stayed 

sweet 

they 

town 

stea,mer 

swim 

thick 

toy 

steep 

swimming 

thing 

track 

stepped 

swing 

think 

train 

stick 

sword 

third 

trap 

still 

thirteen 

tree 

stole 

T 

this 

trick 

stomach 

table 

those 

tried 

stone 

tag 

thought 

trip 

stood 

tail 

thousand 

trolley 

stop 

take 

three 

true 

34 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


trust 

V 

truth 

very 

try- 

victory 

trying 

village 

turn 

violet 

twelve 

vote 

twenty 

twice 

W 

two 

wagon 

waist 

U 

waited 

U-boat 

walk 

umbrella 

walnut 

unable 

wa,nt 

under 

war 

understand 

warm 

unless 

was 

up 

wash 

upon 

watch 

us 

water 

use 

wave 

used 

way 

useful 

we 

using 

weak 

usually 

week 

well 

wonder 

went 

wood 

were 

word 

west 

wore 

wet 

work 

what 

world 

wheel 

worn 

when 

worry 

whenever 

worse 

where 

would 

while 

wouldn  't 

whistle 

wrap 

white 

write 

who 

wrong 

why 

wrote 

wife 

will 

Y 

wind 

yard 

winter 

year 

wipe 

yellow 

wire 

yes 

wish 

yesterday 

with 

yet 

within 

you 

without 

young 

woma^n 

your 

SPELLER 


FOR 


FIFTH,  SIXTH,  AND  SEVENTH  GRADES 


BY 

GRACE  M.  FERNALD,  Ph.D. 


Copyright,    1918 

By  the  People  of  the  State  of  California 

Copyright,   1918 

By  Grace  M.  Fernald 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  PRINTING  OFFICE 

SACRAMENTO 

1918 


CHILDREN'S  PREFACE 

The  Reason  for  Spelling 

You  study  spelling  in  school  so  that  you  may  write  words 
correctly. 

How  Words  Can  Be  Remembered 

The  words  you  are  expected  to  study  are  usually  either 
written  on  the  blackboard  or  given  to  you  in  books.  In 
order  that  you  may  be  able  to  write  a  word  correctly  you 
must  remember  it  in  some  way,  so  that  you  will  know  how 
to  write  it  when  you  do  not  have  a  copy  of  it  before  you. 
Some  people  remember  words  by  getting  pictures  of  them  in 
their  minds,  other  people  have  to  think  how  the  words  or  the 
letters  sound  when  they  say  them,  and  still  others  have  to 
feel  themselves  writing  the  words. 

What  You  Should  Do  to  Learn  a  New  Word 

1.  Look  at  the  word  very  carefully  and  say  it  over 
to  yourself.  If  you  are  not  sure  of  the  pronuncia- 
tion, ask  the  teacher  to  say  it  for  you  or  else  look  it 
up  in  the  dictionary. 

2.  See  if  the  word  can  be  written  just  the  way 
you  say  it.  Mark  any  part  of  the  word  that  cannot 
be  written  the  way  you  say  it. 

3.  Shut  your  eyes  and  see  if  you  can  get  a  picture 
of  the  word  in  your  mind.  If  you  cannot  get  a 
clear  picture  of  the  word,  you  can  remember  the 
parts  that  are  written  the  way  you  say  them  by 
pronouncing  the  word  over  to  yourself  or  feeling 
your  hand  make  the  movements  of  writing  the  word. 
If  you  are  learning  the  word  "separate,"  all  you 
need  to  do  is  to  say  the  word  "separate"  to  yourself 
very  carefully  and  then  write  what  you  say. 


4  CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 

If  there  are  any  parts  of  a  word  which  you  cannot 
write  the  way  you  say  them,  try  to  get  a  clear 
picture  of  these  syllables  in  your  mind.  If  you 
cannot  get  a  perfectly  clear  picture  of  these  parts 
of  the  word,  you  will  probably  have  to  remember 
them  by  saying  something  you  can  write.  Say  the 
letters,  if  necessary,  for  these  syllables  of  the  word, 
but  not  for  the  rest  of  the  word.  For  example,  in 
the  word  "lieutenant,"  you  could  write  the  last 
part  of  the  word  the  way  you  say  it,  but  you  would 
have  to  get  a  picture  of  the  first  part  of  the  word, 
lieu,  or  else  you  would  have  to  say  the  letters 
1-i-e-u  or  feel  your  hand  moving  as  it  does  when 
you  write  the  letters. 

4.  When  you  axe  perfectly  sure  of  every  part  of 
the  word,  shut  your  book  or  cover  the  word  and 
write  it,  saying  each  syllable  to  yourself  while  you 
write  it. 

5.  If  the  word  is  difficult,  turn  the  paper  over  and 
write  it  again.  Never  copy  the  word  directly  from 
the  book  or  from  the  one  you  have  just  written,  but 
always  write  it  from  your  memory  of  it. 

6.  Later  in  the  day  try  writing  the  word  again 
from  memory.  If  you  are  not  sure  of  it,  look  it  up 
again  before  you  try  to  write  it. 

What  Words  Should  Be  Learned 

Some  words  have  to  be  used  no  matter  what  we  happen  to 
be  writing  about.  We  should  learn  these  first  of  all. 
Dr.  Ayres  of  The  Russell  Sage  Foundation  has  made  a  list  of 
the  1,000  words  that  seem  to  be  the  most  common  in 
the  English  language.  You  will  find  these  words  printed  in 
this  book  in  heavy  type  at  the  beginning  of  each  grade  list. 
Be  sure  to  learn  them  very  thoroughly  because  they  will 
always  be  useful  to  you. 


FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES  5 

Use  af  Alphabetical  Word  List  at  End  of  Book 

At  the  end  of  your  book  all  the  words  in  the  whole  book 
are  arranged  in  alphabetical  order  so  that  you  can  find  very 
quickly  any  word  you  have  ever  studied.  If  you  are  doubt- 
ful about  the  spelling  of  any  word,  look  it  up  and  do  just 
what  you  do  when  you  learn  a  word  the  first  time.  Picture 
it,  if  you  can,  say  it  over  to  yourself,  mark  any  part  you 
cannot  write  as  you  say  it,  shut  your  book  and  write  the 
word.  This  will  take  a  few  seconds  when  you  look  the 
word  up,  but  will  save  you  much  time  when  you  need  to 
use  the  word  in  business  or  other  writing. 

Make  Your  Own  Spelling  Book 

The  Speller  gives  words  that  you  will  all  probably  need 
to  use  in  writing,  but,  in  addition  to  these,  you  must 
have  some  words  that  tell  about  the  things  that  especially 
interest  you.  You  should  have  a  list  of  your  own  words — 
we  call  it  your  own  vocabulary — just  as  you  have  your  own 
clothes  and  toys  and  other  possessions. 

Each  year  make  a  little  book  of  your  own  and  write  in 
it  all  the  words  that  specially  belong  to  you.  Be  sure 
that  every  word  in  the  book  is  really  yours  and  not  just 
borrowed  from  the  dictionary.  Have  it  a  real  part  of 
you  before  you  write  it  in  your  book  and  then  write  it  once 
in  a  while  to  be  sure  you  do  not  lose  it. 

Never  Write  a  Word  Incorrectly 

If  you  are  not  sure  how  to  write  a  word,  ask  the  teacher 
or  look  it  up  in  your  speller  or  your  dictionary.  If  you  will 
do  this,  it  will  soon  be  so  natural  for  you  to  write  the  word 
correctly  that  you  will  never  write  it  any  other  way. 


6  CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 

TEACHER'S  PREFACE 

The  selection  of  words  in  this  book  is  based  entirely  on 
experimental  studies  of  the  words  actually  used  by  school 
children.  We  are  indebted  to  The  Russell  Sage  Foundation, 
to  Prof.  W.  Franklin  Jones  of  the  University  of  South 
Dakota,  and  to  Mr.  J.  W.  Groves,  Supervising  Principal  of 
the  Ontario  (California)  Schools,  for  permission  to  use 
extensive  experimental  lists  already  worked  out. 

These  word  lists  were  supplemented  by  lists  made  up  of 
the  words  used  in  8,000  compositions  written  by  California 
school  children.  These  compositions  were  collected  by  the 
Southern  California  Committee  on  Minimum  Essentials.! 
One  thousand  of  these  compositions  are  from  Los  Angeles 
schools,^  and  the  remainder  from  districts  represented  by 
various  members  of  the  committee, 

CONTENT  OF  WORD  LISTS 

Words  in  Group  A.  The  words  printed  in  heavy  type  at 
the  beginning  of  each  grade  list  are  the  Ayres  words  for  that 
grade.*  (See  Manual,  Chapt.  V.)  The  Ayres  words  must  be 
taught  because  the  child  will  need  them  ''no  matter  what  the 
subject  under  discussion  may  be."  Children  should  have  the 
significance  of  the  Ayres  words  explained  to  them.  If  this 
is  done,  it  will  be  found  that  most  of  the  children  will 
become  very  much  interested  in  mastering  these  words. 
Children's  interest  in  the  Ayres  list  may  be  stimulated  by 
suggesting  that  they  check  up  the  words  in  stories  and 
school  books  to  see  how  many  words  on  a  given  page  or  in  a 


tMembers  of  committee :  Mr,  W.  C.  Roberts,  Santa  Ana,  Chairman ; 
Miss  Edith  Blakemore,  Pomona ;  Miss  Carrie  Barton,  Long  Beach ;  Miss 
Ava  Gary,  Santa  Monica ;  Miss  Elizabeth  Wright,  Redlands ;  Miss  Inez  E. 
Hancock,  Riverside ;  Miss  Edith  Urquhart,  San  Bernardino ;  L.  Elston 
Glenn,   Pasadena. 

^Schools  contributing  compositions:  Logan  Street,  East  Sixteenth 
Street,  East  First  Street,  and  Grant. 

*In  this  book,  79  per  cent  in  terms  of  the  Ayers  Scale  was  taken  as  the 
upper  limit  for  the  Ayres  words  of  each  grade  list. 


FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES.  7 

given  paragraph  are  Ayres  words.  The  alphabetical  list  of 
words  at  the  end  of  the  book  can  be  used  for  this  as  the 
Ayres  words  are  in  heavy  type.  As  soon  as  the  children 
realize  that  a  thousand  words  constitute  approximately  nine- 
tenths  of  all  the  words  they  will  need  to  use  in  ordinary 
writing,  they  take  the  initiative  in  making  themselves  per- 
fect in  the  use  of  these  words. 

Words  in  Group  B.  The  second  section  of  the  words  in 
each  grade  is  composed  of  words  which  are  common  to  at 
least  the  Jones,  the  Ontario  and  to  our  own  word  lists,  but 
are  not  in  the  Ayres  list.  The  fact  that  certain  words 
are  found  in  all  these  lists  means  that  these  words  are 
those  used  by  children  of  a  given  grade  in  discussing 
those  subjects  which  interest  them  at  a  certain  age.  The 
ideal  way  to  teach  these  words  would  be  in  connection  with 
the  child's  individual  interests.  The  child  who  is  learning 
words  because  he  wishes  to  use  them  in  self-expression  has 
a  genuine  interest  in  the  words  themselves.  Moreover,  the 
motor  expression — writing  the  word — is  spontaneous  and 
repeated  each  time  the  child  has  occasion  to  use  the  word, 
so  that  the  habit  of  writing  the  word  correctly  is  formed 
without  the  tedious  formal  *' drill  work''  which  has  been  so 
irksome  to  most  children.  The  teacher  who  will  teach  words 
so  that  the  child  learns  for  himself  those  words  which  he 
wishes  to  write,  can  use  the  Speller  merely  as  an  outline  for 
the  final  review  at  the  end  of  the  term.  If  the  words  are 
correctly  chosen  and  the  child  has  been  correctly  taught, 
he  will  know  the  words  included  in  Group  B. 

Words  in  Graup  C.  The  third  section  of  words  in  each 
grade  is  made  up  of  those  which  are  in  the  California  lists 
only.  These  words  are  important  as  most  of  them  are  either 
California  words,  such  as  bungalow,  arroyo,  Japanese,  or 
they  are  war  words  representing  the  shift  of  interest  to  the 
world  war  conditions. 


8  CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 

Alphabetical  List  of  Words/  At  the  end  of  the  first  book 
is  an  alphabetical  list  of  all  the  words  in  the  book,  so  that 
the  child  may  readily  find  any  word  that  he  has  ever 
learned,  when  he  has  occasion  to  use  it.  A  similar  list,  at 
the  end  of  the  second  book,  will  give  all  the  words  in  both 
books.  The  child  should  be  encouraged  to  look  up  any  word 
he  is  not  sure  he  can  spell  correctly,  take  a  moment  to  fix 
the  word,  and  then  write  it  from  the  memory  image.  The 
child  who  makes  it  a  rule  never  to  write  a  word  incorrectly 
cannot  escape  ultimate  mastery  of  the  words  he  writes. 
The  word  list  in  each  book  will  be  very  easy  to  handle  and 
will  give  the  child  means  of  avoiding  bad  word  habits.^ 

Supplementary  Individual  Lists.  From  the  very  begin- 
ning of  his  written  work,  the  child  should  have  his  own 
individual  word  list.  In  each  grade  he  should  have  a  little 
book  which  he  can  make  and  decorate  himself,  and  in 
which  he  can  write  all  the  new  words  he  has  occasion  to 
use.  In  this  book  he  would  have  the  names  of  the  members 
of  his  own  family,  his  pets,  local  objects  of  interest,  words 
(whether  in  his  speller  or  not)  that  have  given  him  special 
difficulty,  and  all  those  words  that  deal  with  his  own  special 
interests  as  distinct  from  those  of  any  one  else. 

The  book  should  represent,  furthermore,  the  child's  actual 
writing  vocabulary.  He  should  learn  each  word  before  he 
writes  it  in  his  book  and  should  test  himself  on  the  words 
from  time  to  time  to  be  sure  that  he  can  write  them 
correctly. 

Methods  of  Teaching  Spelling.  Details  concerning 
methods  of  instruction  in  spelling  are  given  in  the  Manual 
which  accompanies  this  series  of  textbooks.  The  teacher  is 
earnestly  requested  to  give  careful  attention  to  the  problems 
discussed  in  this  Manual,  as  it  is  much  more  important  that 


^A  few  of  the  words  given  in  the  alphabetical  list  are  omitted  in  the; 
lessons.  These  are  words  which  the  children  used,  but  which  it  does  not 
seem  desirable  to  emphasize. 


FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES  9 

the  child  should  know  how  to  study  new  words  than  that 
he  should  be  forced  arbitrarily  to  memorize  any  fixed  series 
of  words. 

Context  for  Spelling  Words.  No  attempt  has  been  made 
to  arrange  sentences  for  the  words  in  the  speller.  Such 
sentences  are  artificial  and  lacking  in  contextual  value. 
Moreover  such  sentences  as  are  usually  given  in  spelling 
books  tend  to  fix  peculiar  and  limited  associations  with  the 
word.  The  context  for  the  word  should  be  some  idea  which 
the  child  wishes  to  express  in  writing.  Words  should  not 
be  forced  upon  the  child  before  he  has  this  background  for 
them.  We  give  children  enough  verbal  inanities  without 
compiling  our  spelling  books  on  this  principle. 

As  has  already  been  stated,  the  purpose  of  the  spelling 
lesson  should  be  to  teach  words  which  the  child  has  already 
used  in  speech  or  in  reading  and  which  he  now  wishes  to 
use  in  writing.  The  child  should  early  form  the  habit  of 
looking  up  in  the  dictionary  all  words  whose  meaning  he 
does  not  know. 


10 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


FIFTH  GRADE 

List  A  (Ayres  List) 


eight 

contain 

liberty 

afraid 

figure 

enough 

uncle 

sudden 

fact 

rather 

forty 

board 

comfort 

instead 

September 

elect 

throw 

station 

aboard 

personal 

attend 

jail 

eversrthing 

between 

shed 

rate 

public 

retire 

chief 

friend 

refuse 

perfect 

during 

district 

second 

through 

restrain 

slide 

police 

royal 

farther 

until 

objection 

duty 

madam 

pleasure 

intend 

truly 

navy 

company 

whole 

fourth 

quite 

address 

population 

none 

request 

proper 

knew 

raise 

judge 

remain 

August 

weather 

direct 

Tuesday 

worth 

appear 

struck 

FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH 

GRADES 

getting 

empire 

o^clock 

don^t 

mayor 

support 

Thursday 

wait 

does 

spend 

beg 

regard 

enjoy 

degree 

escape 

awful 

prison 

since 

usual 

engine 

which 

complaint 

visit 

length 

auto 

guest 

destroy 

vacation 

department 

newspaper 

beautiful 

obtain 

daughter 

flight 

family 

answer 

travel 

favor 

reply 

rapid 

Mrs. 

oblige 

repair 

husband 

sail 

trouble 

amount 

cities 

entrance 

human 

known 

importance 

view 

several 

carried 

election 

desire 

loss 

clerk 

nearly 

fortune 

though 
List  B 

cabin 

carpet 

ceiling 

ranch 

pitcher 

attic 

pillow 

net 

window 

furnish 

curtain 

kitchen 

11 


12 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


paint 
cement 
pavement 
stack 

carpenter 
engineer 
shepherd 
mate 

irrigate 
canal 
orchard 
vegetable 

honey 
grain 
potato 
loaves 

biscuit 
bacon 
coffee 
wheat 

cabbage 
melon 
pear 
pumpkin 

meal 

radish 

taste 

groceries 
sandwich 
feast 

grape 
carrot 
banana 

meat 
roast 
dining 

piano 
violin 
music 
sing 

choir 
duet 
angel 
heaven 

quiet 
quietly 
kneel 
softly 

bloom 
meadow 
valley 
pine 

shore 

canyon  (canon) 

cliff 

cave  . 

island 
pearl 

gypsy 

castle 

coyote 
grizzly 
jack-rabbit 
eagle 

quail 
flock 
crow 
snake 

insect 
caterpillar 
creep 
crawl 

tear 
roar 
growl 
scratch 

tossed 
flutter 
rush 
match 

heavy 
coarse 
clumsy 
rough 

FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


13 


harvest 
citrus 
weed 
dew 

lamb 
stable 
donkey 
hitched 

saddle 
harness 
drive 
,  driving 

sew 
sewing 
bundle 
parcel 

purse 

handkerchief 
purchase 
wrapped 

sleeve 
stocking 
sweater 
yarn 

hotel 
cashier 
trunk 
coach 

depart 
traveler 
space 
New  York 

southern 
northern 
voyage 
route 

ugly 
strange 
gentle 
comfortable 

straight 
loose 
stiff 
homely 

timid 
pitiful 
cruel 
generous 

accidentally 
nicely 
surely 
merely 

afterwards 
ahead 
slowly 
rapidly 

I'll 

doesn't 
myself 
hasn't 

failed 
proved 
hurried 
entered 

promoted 
covered 
stretched 
hatched 

answered 
drowned 
interested 
dried 

punish 
settle 
seek 
guide 

attach 
accuse 
abuse 
admit 

admire 
require 
notice 
invent 

14 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


fourteen 
fraction 

couple 
diagram 

twenty-five 
zero 

eighteen 
divisible 

million 
sixth 

eighty 
quarter 

astonish 

deserve 

fitted 

wade 
wake     . 
dismiss 

approach 

improve 

relieve 

shock 

wrestle 

advance 

sorrow 

medicine 

disease 

grief 

poison 

hoarse 

bandage 
hospital 
dentist 

wound 
bloody 
fever 

kaee 

shoulder 

throat 

forehead 

tooth 

breathe 

thumb 

teeth 

exercise 

skin 

mouth 

drank 

amuse 
amusing 
deny 
denying 

slept 
awoke 
woke 
arose 

quick 
bright 
merry 
brilliant 

sense 
idea 

scholar 
recite 

library 
recollect 

memory 
imagine 

examine 
educate 

dictionary 
grammar 

FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


15 


storm 
thunder 
comet 
flame 

slippery 
fragrant 
prominent 
knot 

difficult 
solid 
sort 
dispute 

spade 
shape 
flake 
sale 

kettle 
coin 
stuff 
broom 

bicycle 
compass 
fasten 
spoke 

fault 

sunk 

absurd 

nuisance 

error 

mischief 

crazy 

bother 

horrid 

injury 

debt 

waste 

opening 
source 
wide 
frozen 

tramp 
idle 

narrow 
upper 

disappear 
planned 

dodge 
rescue 

sentence 
secret 
message 
messenger 

choice 
welcome 
marry 
married 

wander 
industry 
seal 
peace 

salute 
valentine 

gift 

souvenir 

happily 
whisper 

eager 

eagerly 

benefit 
hoping 

fixing 

changing 

16 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


county 
capital 
continent 
Thanksgiving 

arctic 
equator 
depth 
edge 

highest 
junior 
lonesome 
shown 

enemy 
enemies 

shell 
mask 

moment 
shot 

prisoner 
German 

cannon 
fort 

parade 
banner 

courage 

aeroplane 
(airplane) 

soldier 

dangerous 

exciting 
shone 

faithful 
won 

List  C 

oil 
gas 

gasoline 
electric 

kelp 
barley 
raisin 
beet 

tuna 
peacock 
squirrel 
wasn't 

brick 
pier 
surf 
apartment 

San  Francisco 
monks 

sloyd 
Mexican 

arroyo 
California 

fame 
Lincoln 
patriot 
Joan  of  Are 

Japanese 
Italian 
France 
ambulance 

picked 
furlough 
trenches 
bombs 

FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


1? 


SIXTH  GRADE 

List  A  (Ayres  List) 


sometimes 

relative 

whom 

declare 

progress 

arrest 

engage 

entire 

themselves 

final 

president 

special 

terrible 

measure 

women 

surprise 

famous 

present 

period 

serve 

action 

addition 

estate 

justice 

employ 

either 

gentleman 

property 

effort 

enclose 

select 

important 

await 

connection 

due 

suppose 

firm 

include 

wonderful 

region 

running 

direction 

convict 

allow 

forward 

private 

position 

remember 

command 

field 

although 

debate 

ledge 

prompt 

crowd 

claim 

attempt 

factory 

primary 

whose 

publish 

result 

statement 

represent 

Saturday 

perhaps 

term 

appoint 

their 

section 

information 

imprison 

18 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


written 

promise 

convention 

arrange 

wreck 

increase 

forenoon 

prepare 

manner 

lose 

vessel 

feature 

combination 

interest 

article 

avenue 

busy 

service 

neighbor 

prefer 

injure 

weigh 

illustrate 

effect 

wear 

different 

distribute 

entertain 

object 

general 

salary 

provision 

tomorrow 

visitor 

according 

consider 

publication 

already 

against 

machine 

attention 

complete 

toward 

education 

search 

success 

director 

treasure 

drown 

purpose 

popular 

adopt 

common 

Christmas 

secure   . 

diamond 
together 

Lists 

honor 

football 

sport 

contest 

active 

challenge 

weight 

earnest 

delivery 

attack 

spirit 

advantage 

protect 

FIFTH 

,  SIlTS,  SFVE^TM  GttADES 

motorcycle 

pedal 

distance 

speed 

design 

operate 

trail 

frame 

summit 

explore 

control 

record 

crew 

excursion 

distant 

harbor 

star 

zone 

tide 

salt 

display 

wharf 

odor 

natural 

quality 

manufacture 

manage 

quantity 

merchant 

freight 

score 

yield 

development 

plenty 

process 

sell 

woolen 

starch 

belt 

knitting 

scissors 

thread 

chest 

gown 

'     cushici? 

calico 

robe 

pattern 

drug 

juice 

appetite 

druggist 

thirsty 

health 

liquid 

crush 

breath 

bubbles 

pour 

muscle 

knowledge 

magazine 

speech 

graduate 

conversation 

explanation 

essay 

instruction 

student 

phrase 

memorize 

intelligent 

l§ 


20 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


exactly 

gloomy 

guilty 

gradually 

awkward 

decent 

splendid 

anxious 

ignorant 

valuable 

innocent 

curious 

vineyard 

grove 

cherries 

moisture 

dense 

growth 

rubbish 

acres 

grass 

chores 

cattle 

straw 

tobacco 

servant 

range 

furniture 

salad 

salmon 

cozy 

tomato 

fried 

bargain 

molasses 

spread 

pride 

families 

orphan 

proud 

parents 

adopted 

labor 

kindness 

companion 

chance 

maiden 

chose 

artist 

agent 

voice 

musician 

conductor 

privilege 

concert 

exhibit 

commence 

entertainment 

poetry 

delightful 

tourist 

modern 

hello 

preparation 

glimpse 

frigid 

astonishment 

style 

climate 

enjoyable 

wedding 

native 

FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


21 


thirty 

inch 

afford 

ninety 

ninth 

rent 

fortieth 

percentage 

brief 

fifty 

seventh 

medium 

hinge 

heavily 

coward 

foundation 

admission 

strike 

being 

drift 

defenseless 

refusal 

flat 

coast 

practice 

resemble 

deceive 

excite 

ruin 

pretend 

fear 

shout 

ashamed 

realize 

decrease 

remind 

distress 

disturb 

contrary 

mistake 

disturbed 

tease 

anger 

tore 

gamble 

forgotten 

torn 

thief 

genuine 

excellent 

future 

plain 

fortunate 

former 

steady 

easier 

safety 

smooth 

satisfy 

remedy 

fled 

darkness 

stung 

scatter 

smoking 

hung 

leap 

drew 

dumb 

drawn 

raising 

drunk 

tiger 

desperate 

panic 

cunning 

fright 

hollow 

monster 

fraud 

surface 

dwarf 

evaporate 

beneath 

22 


califor:nia  state  speller 


compare 
permit 
permission 
strictly 

boss 

continue 
disgrace 
defeat 

bury 
heed 
flash 
fulfill 

metal 
precious 
pure 
jewel 

forest 
coal 
deposit 
crust 

mining 
electricity 
current 
telephone 

emptied 
omitted 
finished 
disappointed 

refused 
buried 
determined 
destroyed 

situated 
delighted 
included 
delayed 

frequent 
frequently 
careful 
carefully 

equal 
equally 
affectionate 
affectionately 

entirely 
immediately 
generally 
certainly 

agree 
agreed 
agreeable 
cheerful 

introduce 
introduction 
behave 
behavior 

cultivate 
cultivator 
describe 
description 

religion 
obedient 
assistance 
holy 

patience 
custom 
tempt 
belief 

Christian 
gratitude 
hail 
duties 

nation 
French 
English 
Dutch 

governor 
Columbus 
territory 
boundary 

Chicago 
Philadelphia 
Capitol 
union 

FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


23 


conqueror 
conquered 
caution 
damage 

advice 
occur 
aid 
credit 

breast 
badge 
shining 
cheer 

bravery 
flier 
flying 
defend 

plane 
shoot 
noble 
reward 

List  C 

allied 
medal 
emblem 
decorated 

olive 

alfalfa 

strawberries 

timber 

pile 

almond 

instant 

tons 

quickly 

submarine 

shame 

wicked 

spy 

salvage 

Austria 

helmet 

prevent 

autocracy 

Russian 
bayonet 
ammunition 

thrift 

Arizona 

Irish 

Canadian 

British 

Belgium 

aircraft 

scouts 

patriotic 

bugle 
truck 
uniform 

solemn 

honorable 

training 

Washington 

United  States 

24 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


SEVENTH  GRADE 

List  A  (Ay res  List) 


often 

government 

accept 

stopped 

opinion 

impossible 

motion 

believe 

concern 

theater 

system 

associate 

improveiYient 

possible 

automobile 

century 

piece 

various 

total 

certain 

decide 

mention 

witness 

entitle 

arrive 

investigate 

political 

supply 

therefore 

national 

assist 

too 

recent 

difference 

pleasant 

business 

examination 

guess 

refer 

particular 

circular 

minute 

affair 

argument 

ought 

course 

volume 

absence 

neither 

organize 

conference 

local 

summon 

Wednesday 

marriage 

official 

really 

further 

victim 

celebration 

serious 

estimate 

folks 

doubt 

accident 

meant 

condition 

invitation 

earliest 

FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


25 


whether 

receive 

appreciate 

distinguish 

respectfully 

sincerely 

consideration 

agreement 

athletic 

colonies 

unfortunate 

extreme 

assure 

majority 

practical 

relief 

elaborate 

proceed 

occupy 

citizen 

cordially 

probably 

necessary 

character 

foreign 

divide 

separate 

expense 

principal 

February 

responsible 

testimony 

immediate 

beginning 

discussion 

convenient 

application 

arrangement 

receipt 

difficulty 

reference 

preliminary 

scene 

evidence 

disappoint 

finally 

experience 

especially 

develop 

sessi'on 

annual 

circumstance 

secretary 

committee 

issue 

association 

decision 

material 

career 

principle 

suggest 

height 

judgment 

mere 

organization 

recommend 

senate 

emergency 

allege 

26 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


Lists 


agriculture 

science 

college 

fertile 

museum 

university 

dairy 

catalog 

certificate 

poultry 

alphabet 

diploma 

benefited 

civilized 

sufficient 

opportunity 

civilization 

respectable 

responsibility 

conscience 

accustomed 

society 

perceive 

average 

pronounce 

commit  - 

reception 

announce 

commission 

appreciation 

announcement 

confidential 

performance 

conclude 

ceremony 

festival 

commerce 

abundance 

premium 

commercial 

abundant 

corporation 

advertise 

plural 

superintendent 

advertisement 

essential 

employee 

attorney 

calendar 

definition 

physician 

journal 

composition 

surgeon 

lecture 

incident 

author 

discuss 

correspondence 

acquaintance 

guardian 

treasury 

acquainted 

signature 

durable 

fellow 

mortgage 

regular 

pioneer 

fund 

permanent 

FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


27 


niece 

indulged 

fashion 

darling 

embroidery 

fashionable 

merrily 

ornament 

economy 

elbow 

wealthy 

gingham 

gymnasium 

restaurant 

machinery 

physical 

recipe 

kerosene 

discipline 

delicious 

laundry 

diet 

domestic 

faucet 

jealous 

terror 

grudge 

envy 

frantic 

hate 

ignorance 

furious 

embarrass 

disaster 

indignant 

selfish 

dreadful 

destitute 

detect 

horrible 

feeble 

sympathy 

epidemic 

failure 

exhausted 

devastate 

dreary 

extremely 

haste 

deceit 

disguise 

scold 

deceitful 

condemned 

correction 

suspicious 

irregular 

scheme 

despise 

opposite 

criticize 

apply 

curiosity 

criticism 

interrupt 

imaginary 

conduct 

concerned 

vacant 

confess 

dealt 

ghost 

28 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


license 

endeavor 

pleasing 

transfer 

encourage 

satisfactory 

telegram 

courtesy 

attractive 

telegraph 

courteous 

previous 

instinct 

changeable 

nervous 

intellect 

peculiar 

unconscious 

ability 

positive 

energy 

original 

initial 

leisure 

ventilation 

favorable 

,    group 

temperature 

singular 

mass 

audience 

continually 

council 

considerable 

altogether 

esteem 

immigrant 

eastern 

enterprise 

colony 

diameter 

glory 

expedition 

midst 

glorious 

frontier 

junction 

excel 

erect 

equipped 

pursue 

launch 

forcible 

emphasize 

abolish 

familiar 

huge 

defense 

commenced 

immense 

ballot 

opponent 

candidate 

polls 

tariff 

favorite 

politics 

democratic 

genial 

campaign 

constitution 

champion 

FIFTH, 

SIXTH,  SEVENTH 

GRADES 

crystal 

fresh 

fountain 

delicate 

scenery 

geyser 

emerald 

prairie 

camera 

dawn 

cemetery 

horizon 

adventure 

courageous 

balance 

aviator 

efficient 

tube 

aviation 

endure 

cylinder 

colonel 

endurance 

guarantee 

29 


List  C 

marine 

invention 

dynamite 

troops 

mission 

irresistible 

volunteer 

recognize 

Scotch 

90 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


ONE  HUNDRED  SPELLING  DEMONS  OF  THE 
ENGLISH  LANGUAGE 

The  **one  hundred  demons"  are  the  words  which  Dr.  W. 
Franklin  Jones  found  to  be  most  frequently  misspelled  in 
the  75,000  children's  compositions  from  which  he  took  the 
words  of  the  Jones  list.  The  words  are  all  so  easy  that  a 
little  attention  to  them  will  make  every  child  sure  of  each 
one  of  them. 


which 

can't 

guess 

they 

their 

loose 

says 

half 

there 

lose 

having 

break 

separate 

Wednesday 

just 

buy 

don't 

country 

doctor 

again 

meant 

February 

whether 

very 

business 

know 

believe 

none 

many 

could 

knew 

week 

friend 

seems 

laid 

often 

some 

Tuesday 

tear 

whole 

been 

wear 

choose 

won't 

since 

answer 

tired 

cough 

used 

two 

grammar 

piece 

always 

too 

minute 

raise 

where 

ready 

any 

ache 

women 

forty 

much 

read 

done 

hour 

beginning 

said 

hear 

trouble 

blue 

hoarse 

here 

among 

though 

shoes 

write 

busy 

coming 

tonight 

writing 

built 

early 

wrote 

heard 

color 

instead 

enough 

does 

making 

easy 

truly 

once 

dear 

through 

sugar 

would 

sure 

every 

straight 

— Jones,  W.  Franklin,  Concrete  Investigation  of  the 
Material  of  English  Spelling,  p.  25. 


FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES  31 

RULES  FOR  THE  SPELLING  OF  ENGLISH  WORDS^ 

^There  is  much  in  the  spelling  of  English  words  for  which  no 
rule  can  be  given.  No  practicable  rule  can  tell  the  student 
why  grandeur  should  end  in  eur  and  moisture  in  ure ;  why 
boat  should  be  spelled  with  oa  and  rope  with  plain  o  for  the 
same  sound;  nor  why  rohin  should  have  but  one  h,  while 
bobbin  that  rimes  with  it  has  two. 

But  for  certain  forms  a  few  simple  rules  may  be  given 
which  will  help  the  student  to  decide  many  cases  without  each 
time  referring  to  the  dictionary.  These  rules  are  the  fol- 
lowing : 

(1)  Final  consonants  doubled. — Monosyllables  ending  in 
/,  I,  or  s,  immediately  preceded  by  a  single  vowel,  double  the 
final  consonant ;  as,  cliff,  bell,  brass. 

Exceptions :  clef,  if,  of,  sol,  as,  gas,  has,  his,  is,  thus,  us,  was, 
yes. 

(2)  Final  consonants  not  doubled. — Monosyllables  ending 
in  any  other  consonant  than  /,  I,  or  s,  immediately  preceded 
by  a  single  vowel,  do  not  double  the  final  consonant;  as,  cab, 
bin,  dip,  hit,  etc. 

Exceptions:  abb,  ebb,  add,  odd,  egg,  inn,  err,  fizz. 

(3)  Consonants  doubled  before  suffix. — Monosyllables  end- 
ing in  a  single  consonant,  preceded  by  a  single  vowel,  double 
the  consonant  before  a  suffix  beginning  with  a  vowel; 
accented  final  syllables  follow  the  same  rule;  as,  dip,  dip' per, 
a-bet%  a-beVtor. 

Exceptions:  {a)  Syllables  ending  in  x  do  not  double  the 
final  letter;  as,  box,  boxes,  boxing-,  (b)  when  the  accent  in  the 
derivative  is  carried  farther  back,  the  consonant  is  likely  to 


^These  rules  are  given  for  the  convenience  of  those  who  find  them  oi 
assistance  in  learning  to  spell.  Children  should  never  be  forced  to  learn 
spelling   rules. 

2 — Fernald,  James   C,  A  Working  Grammar  of   the  English  Language, 
p.  315-316.     Funk  and  Wagnalls  Company. 


32  CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 

remain  single;  as,  pre-fer',  pref^er-ence,  but  pre-fer^ring, 
re-fer%  ref'er-a-hle,  but  also  re-fer^ri-hle;  (c)  the  derivatives 
of  the  word  gas  (except  gassed,  gassing,  and  gassy)  are  writ- 
ten with  but  one  s;  as,  gaseous. 

(4)  Silent  e  omitted  before  sufiftx. — Silent  e  final  is  ordi 
narily  omitted  before   a  suffix  beginning  with  a  vowel;  as, 
love,  loving,  lovable. 

Exceptions:  (a)  Words  ending  in  ce  or  ge  retain  the  e 
before  ahle  or  ous,  in  order  to  avoid  hardening  the  c  ov  g;  as, 
effaceahle,  changeahle;  (h)  the  e  is  retained  in  hoeing,  shoe- 
ing, and  toeing;  (c)  also  in  the  derivatives  of  dye,  singe, 
springe,  swinge,  and  tinge,  thus  distinguishing  dyeing  from 
dying,  etc.,  and  keeping  the  g  soft  in  tingeing. 

(5)  Silent  e  retained  before  suffix. — Silent  e  final  is  ordi- 
narily retained  before  a  suffix  beginning  with  a  consonant ;  as, 
dire,  direful;  amaz.e,  amazement. 

Exceptions :  The  e  is  always  dropped  in  duly,  truly,  wholly, 
argument,  and  commonly  in  abridgment,  acknowledgment, 
awful,  judgment,  and  lodgment. 

(6)  Change  of  y  to  i  before  suffix. — Words  ending  in  y, 
when  the  y  is  preceded  by  a  consonant,  change  the  y  into  i 
before  any  suffix  except  one  beginning  with  i\  as,  icy,  icily, 
pity,  pitiable,  pitiful ;  but  marry,  marrying. 

Exceptions :  Adjectives  of  one  syllable  ending  in  y  preceded 
by  a  consonant  ordinarily  retain  the  y;  as,  shy,  shyly;  dry 
forms  dryly  or  drily. 

(7)  Plurals  of  nouns  ending  in  y. — Nouns  ending  in  y 
preceded  by  a  consonant  change  y  to  i  and  add  es  to  form 
the  plural ;  as,  lady,  ladies ; — Nouns  ending  in  y  preceded  bj^ 
a  vowel  add  s  only  to  form  the  plural;  as,  boy,  boys;  valley, 
valleys. 


FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES  33 

(8)  Full  as  suffix  changed  to  ful. — The  word  full,  used  as 
a  suffix,  drops  one  I;  as,  cupful,  mouthful,  spoonful,  etc. 
(plural  cupfuls,  etc.). 

(9)  How  to  choose  between  ei  and  ie. — When  ei  or  ie  has 
the  sound  of  e  {=ee  in  feel)^  the  usage  may  be  discriminated 
as  follows: 

After  c  the  combination  is  ei;  as,  ceiling,  perceive,  receive. 

After  any  other  letter  than  c  the  combination  is  ie;  as 
believe,  grieve,  reprieve. 

Exceptions :  In  leisure,  seize,  and  neither,  ei  is  used,  though 
not  following  c. 

Note. —  ei  sounded  as  a  (=a  in  fate)  may  follow  any 
consonant;  as,  neighbor,  sleigh,  weigh. 

(The  following  jingle  has  helped  some  people  remember  this 
rule:  "i"  before  "e"  except  after  ''c,"  or  when  sounded  like 
*'a"  as  in  ''neighbor'^  and  ''weigh.") 


34 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


ALPHABETICAL  LIST  OF  WORDS 

Words  in   heavy  type  are  Ayers  words.     Numerals  in   parentheses  Indi- 
cate grade  lists  in  which  words  are  to  be  found. 


A 

admire   (5) 

air 

a 

admission  (6) 

aircraft  (6C) 

ability  (7) 

admit  (5) 

alfalfa  (6C) 

able 

adopt 

alike 

aboard 

adopted  (6) 

alive  (4) 

abolish  (7) 

advance  (5) 

all 

about 

advantage  (6) 

allege 

above 

adventure  (7) 

allied  (6) 

absence 

advertise  (7) 

allies  (4) 

absent  (3) 

advertisement  (7) 

allow 

absurd  (5) 

advice  (6) 

almond  (6C) 

abundance  (7) 

aeroplane  (5) 

almost 

abundant  (7) 

aflfair 

alone 

abuse  (5) 

affectionate  (6) 

along 

accept 

affectionately  (6) 

alphabet  (7) 

accident 

afford  (6) 

already 

accidentally  (5) 

afraid 

also 

according 

after 

although 

account 

afternoon 

altogether  (7) 

accuse  (5) 

afterwards  (5) 

always 

accustomed  (7) 

again 

am 

acorn  (3) 

against 

ambulance  (5C) 

acquaintance  (7) 

age 

America  (4C) 

acquainted  (7) 

agent  (6) 

American  (4C) 

acres  (6) 

ago 

ammunition  (6C) 

across 

agree  (6) 

among 

act 

agreeable  (6) 

amount 

acting  (4) 

^  agreed  (6) 

amuse  (5) 

action 

agreement 

amusing  (5) 

active  (6) 

agriculture  (7) 

an 

add 

ahead  (5) 

and 

addition 

aid  (6) 

angel  (5) 

address 

aim  (4) 

anger  (6) 

FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


35 


angry  (4) 

animal  (3) 

announce  (7) 

announcement  (7) 

annual 

another 

answer 

answered  (5) 

ant  (3) 

anxious  (6) 

any 

anybody  (4) 

anything 

anyway 

apartment  (5C) 

appear 

appetite  (6) 

apple  (3) 

application 

apply  (7) 

appoint 

appreciate 

appreciation  (7) 

approach  (5) 

April 

apron  (4) 

arctic  (5) 

are 

argument 

arithmetic  (4) 

Arizona  (6C) 

arm  (3) 

arms  (3) 

army 

arose  (5) 


around 

arrange 

arrangement 

arrest 

arrive 

arrow  (3C) 

arroyo  (5C) 

article 

artist  (6) 

as 

ashamed  (6) 

ashes  (4) 

ask 

asked  (3) 

asleep  (4) 

assist 

assistance  (6) 

associate 

association 

assure 

astonish  (5) 

astonishment  (6) 

at 

ate  (3) 

athletic 

attach  (5) 

attack  (6) 

attempt 

attend 

attention 

attic  (5) 

attorney  (7) 

attractive  (7) 

audience  (7) 

August 


aunt 

Austria  (6C) 
author  (7) 
auto 

autocracy  (6C) 
automobile 
autumn  (4) 
avenue 
average    (7) 
aviation  (7) 
aviator  (7) 
await 
awake  (3) 
away 
awful 
awhile  (4) 
awkward  (6) 
awoke  (5) 

B 

babies  (4) 
baby 
back 

bacon  (5) 
bad 

badge  (6) 
bag  (3) 
baggage  (4) 
balance  (7) 
ball 

balloon  (3) 
ballot  (7) 
banana  (5) 
band 
bandage  (5) 


36 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


bank  (4) 

began 

biscuit  (5) 

banner  (5) 

beggar  (4) 

bit  (4) 

bare  (3) 

begin 

bite  (3) 

bargain  (6) 

beginning 

black 

bark  (3) 

begun 

blanket  (4) 

barley  (5C) 

behave  (6) 

blind  (3) 

barn  (3) 

behavior  (6) 

block 

barrel  (4) 

behind 

blood  (3) 

basement  (4) 

being  (6) 

bloody  (5) 

basket  (3) 

Belgium  (6C) 

bloom  (5) 

bat  (3) 

belief  (6) 

blossom  (4) 

bath  (3) 

believe 

blow 

bathe  (3) 

bell  (3) 

blue 

bathing  (4) 

belong 

bluff  (4) 

battle  (3C) 

below  (3) 

board 

battleship  (4) 

belt  (6) 

boast  (4) 

bayonet  (6C) 

beneath  (6) 

boat 

be 

benefit  (5) 

bodies  (4) 

beach  (4) 

benefited  (7) 

body 

beans  (3C) 

bent  (3) 

boil  (3) 

bear 

berries  (4) 

bombs  (5C) 

beast  (4) 

berry  (4) 

bone  (3) 

beat  (3C) 

beside 

bonfire  (4) 

beaten  (4) 

besides  (3) 

book 

beautiful 

best 

born 

beauty  (3) 

better 

borrow  (4) 

became 

between 

boss  (6) 

because 

beyond  (4) 

both 

become 

bicycle  (5) 

bother  (5) 

bed 

big 

bottle   (3) 

bee  (3) 

bigger  (3) 

bottom  (4) 

been 

biggest  (4C) 

bought 

beet  (5C) 

bill 

boundary  (6) 

before 

bird  (3) 

bouquet  (4) 

beg 

birthday  (3) 

bow  (3) 

FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


37 


bowl  (3) 

build 

can 

box 

built 

Canadian  (6C) 

boy 

bun  (3) 

canal  (5) 

brakeman  (4) 

bundle  (5) 

canary  (4) 

branch  (3) 

buried  (6) 

candidate  (7) 

branches  (3) 

bum 

candle  (4) 

brass  (3) 

burnt  (4) 

candy   (3) 

brave  (4) 

bury  (6) 

cannon  (5) 

bravery  (6) 

bushes  (4) 

cannot 

bread   (3) 

business 

canoe  (4) 

break  (3) 

busy 

can't  (3) 

breakfast  (4) 

but 

canteen  (4) 

breast  (6) 

butcher  (4) 

canyon  (canon)    (5) 

breath  (6) 

butter  (3) 

cap  (3) 

breathe  (5) 

butterfly  (4) 

capital   (5) 

brick  (4) 

button   (4) 

Capitol  (6) 

bridge 

buy 

captain  (4) 

brief  (6) 

buying  (3C) 

capture 

bright  (5) 

by 

captured  (4) 

brilliant  (5) 

car 

bring 

c 

card 

British  (6C) 

cabbage  (5) 

care 

broke 

cabin  (5) 

career 

broken  (3) 

cage  (4) 

careful  (6) 

brood  (3) 

cake  (3) 

carefully  (6) 

broom  (5) 

calendar  (7) 

carpenter  (5) 

brother 

calf  (4) 

carpet  (5) 

brought 

calico  (6) 

carriage  (4) 

brush  (3) 

California  (5C) 

carried 

bubbles  (6) 

call 

carrot  (5) 

bucket  (4) 

called  (4) 

carry 

bud  (3) 

ca,Tne 

cart  (3) 

bug  (3) 

camera  (7) 

case 

buggy  (3) 

ca,mp 

cashier  (5) 

bugle  (6C) 

campaign  (7) 

cast 

38 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


castle  (5) 
cat  (3) 
catalog  (7) 
catch 

caterpillar  (5) 
cattle  (6) 
caught  (4) 
cause 

caution  (6) 
cave  (5) 
ceiling  (5) 
celebration 
cellar  (4) 
cement  (5) 
cemetery   (7) 
cent 
center 
century 
ceremony  (7) 
certain 
certainly  (6) 
certificate  (7) 
chain 
chair  (3) 
challenge   (6) 
champion  (7) 
chance  (6) 
change 

changeable  (7) 
changing  (5) 
character 
charge 
chase  (3) 
chasing  (3) 
check 


cheer  (6) 
cheerful  (6) 
cheese  (3) 
cherries  (6) 
cherry  (4) 
chest  (6) 
Chicago  (6) 
chicken  (4) 
chief 
child 
children 
chimney  (4) 
choice  (5) 
choir  (5) 
choose  (3) 
chop  (3) 
chopped  (4) 
chores  (6) 
chose  (6) 
chosen  (4) 
Christian  (6) 
Christmas 
church 
circle  (4) 
circular 
circumstance 
circus  (4) 
cities 
citizen 
citrus  (5) 
city 

civilization  (7) 
civilized  (7) 
claim 
class 


clean 
clear 
clerk 
clever  (4) 
cliff  (5) 
climate  (6) 
climb  (3) 
cloak  (4) 
clock  (3) 
close 

closet  (4) 
cloth   (3) 
clothes  (3) 
clothing 
cloud  (4) 
cloudy  (4) 
club 

clumsy  (5) 
coach  (5) 
coal  (6) 
coarse  (5) 
coast  (6) 
coat  (3) 
coffee  (5) 
coin  (5) 
cold 

collar  (4) 
collect 
college  (7) 
colonel  (7) 
colonies 
colony  (7) 
color  (3) 
Columbus  (6) 
column  (4) 


FIFTH,  I^IXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


39 


comb  (3) 

combination 

come 

comet  (5) 
comfort 

comfortable  (5) 
coming 
command 
commence  (6) 
commenced   (7) 
commerce  (7) 
commercial  (7) 
commission  (7) 
commit  (7) 
committee 
common 
companion  (6) 
company- 
compare  (6) 
compass  (5) 
complaint 
complete 
composition  (7) 
concern 
concerned  (7) 
concert  (6) 
conclude  (7) 
condemned  (7) 
condition 
conduct  (7) 
conductor  (6) 
conference 
confess  (7) 
confidential  (7) 
connection 


conquered  (6) 
conqueror  (6) 
conscience  (7) 
consider 
considerable  (7) 
consideration 
constitution  (7) 
contain 
contest  (6) 
continent   (5) 
continually  (7) 
continue  (6) 
contract 
contrary  (6) 
control  (6) 
convenient 
convention 
conversation  (6) 
convict 
cook  (3) 
cookies  (3) 
cooking  (3) 
cool  (3) 
copper  (4) 
copy 
cordially 
corn  (3) 
corner  (3) 
corporation  (7) 
correction  (7) 
correspondence  (7) 
cost 

cottage  (4) 
cotton  (4) 
cough  (4) 


could 

couldn't  (4) 
council  (7) 
count  (3) 
country 
county  (5) 
couple  (5) 
courage  (5) 
courageous  (7) 
course 
court 

courteous  (7) 
courtesy  (7) 
cousin  (3) 
cover 

covered  (5) 
cow  (3) 
coward  (6) 
coyote  (5) 
cozy  (6) 
crack   (3) 
cradle  (3) 
crawl  (5) 
crazy  (5) 
cream  (3) 
creature  (4) 
credit  (6) 
creek  (4) 
creep  (5) 
crew  (6) 
crib  (4) 
cried  (3C) 
cries  (4) 
criticism  (7) 
criticize  (7) 


40 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


crops  (4) 
cross  (3) 
erow  (5) 
crowd 
crown  (4) 
cruel  (5) 
crumbs  (3) 
crush  (6) 
crust  (6) 
cry  (3) 
crystal  (7) 
cultivate  (6) 
cultivator  (6) 
cunning  (6) 
cup  (3) 
cupboard  (4) 
cure  (4) 
curiosity  (7) 
curious  (6) 
curl  (3) 
current  (6) 
curtain   (5) 
cushion  (6) 
custom  (6) 
cut 

cute  (4) 
cutting  (4) 
cylinder  (7) 

D 

daily  (4) 
dairy  (7) 
daisy  (4) 
damage  (6) 
damp  (3) 


dance   (3) 

dancing  (3) 

dandy  (5) 

danger   (3) 

dangerous  (5) 

dare  (3) 

dark 

darkness  (6) 

darling  (7) 

dash 

date 

daughter 

dawn  (7) 

day 

dead 

deal 

dealt  (7) 

dear 

death 

debate 

debt  (5) 

deceit  (7) 

deceitful  (7) 

deceive  (6) 

December 

decent  (6) 

decide 

decision 

declare 

decorated  (6) 

decrease  (6) 

deep 

deer  (4) 

defeat  (6) 

defend  (6) 


defense  (7) 
defenseless  (6) 
definition   (7) 
degree 
delay 

delayed  (6) 
delicate   (7) 
delicious  (7) 
delighted  (6) 
delightful  (6) 
deliver  (4) 
delivery  (6) 
democrat  (5) 
democratic  (7) 
dense  (6) 
dentist   (5) 
deny  (5) 
denying   (5) 
depart  (5) 
department 
deposit  (6) 
depot  (4) 
depth  (5) 
describe  (6) 
description  (6) 
desert  (4) 
deserve  (5) 
design  (6) 
desire 
desk  (4) 
desperate  (6) 
despise  (7) 
destitute    (7) 
destroy 
destroj^ed  (6) 


FIFTH,  SIXTH,  BEVENTH  (jfBADES 


41 


detect  (7) 
determined  (6) 
devastate  (7) 
develop 

development   (6) 
dew  (5) 
diagram  (5) 
diameter  (7) 
diamond 
dictionary  (5) 
did 

didn^t   (3) 
die  (4) 
died 
diet  (7) 
difference 
different 
difficult  (5) 
difficulty 
dig  (3) 
digging  (3) 
dime  (4) 
dining  (5) 
dinner  (3) 
diploma   (7) 
direct 
direction 
director 
dirt  (3) 
disax)pear  (5) 
disappoint 
disappointed  (6) 
disaster  (7) 
discipline  (7) 
discover  (4) 


discovered  (4) 
discuss  (7) 
discussion 
disease  (5) 
disgrace   (6) 
disguise  (7) 
dish  (3) 
dismiss  (5) 
display  (6) 
dispute  (5) 
distance  (6) 
distant  (6) 
distinguish 
distress  (6) 
distribute 
district 
disturb  (6) 
disturbed  (6) 
ditch  (4) 
ditches  (4) 
dive  (4) 
divide 
divisible  (5) 
division  (4) 
do 

doctor 
dodge   (5) 
does 

doesn't  (5) 
dog  (3) 
doing  (3) 
doll  (3) 
dollar 

domestic  (7) 
done 


donkey  (5) 
don't 
door 

double  (4) 
doubt 
dough  (3) 
down 
dozen 

drainage  (4) 
drank  (5) 
draw  (4) 
drawer  (4) 
drawing  (4) 
drawn  (6) 
dreadful  (7) 
dream  (3) 
dreamed  (3) 
dreary  (7) 
dress 
drew  (6) 
dried  (5) 
drift  (6) 
drill 

drink  (3) 
drive  (5) 
driven 
driving  (5) 
drop  (4) 
dropped  (4) 
dropping  (4) 
drove  (4) 
drown 
drowned  (5) 
drug   (6) 
druggist  (6) 


42 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


drum  (3) 
drunk  (6) 
dry  (3) 
drying  (3) 
duck  (3) 
due 

duet  (5) 
dug  (3) 
dull  (3) 
dumb  (6) 
durable  (7) 
during 
dust  (3) 
Dutch  (6) 
duties  (6) 
duty 

dwarf  (6) 
dying  (4) 
dynamite  (7C) 

E 

each 

eager  (5) 
eagerly  (5) 
eagle  (5) 
ear  (3) 
earliest 
early 
earn  (4) 
earnest  (6) 
earth  (4) 
easier  (6) 
easily   (4) 
east 
eastern  (7) 


easy 
eat 

economy  (7) 
edge   (5) 
educate  (5) 
education 
effect 

efficient  (7) 
effort 

^^^  (3) 
eight 

eighteen  (5) 
eighty  (5) 
either 
elaborate 
elbow  (7) 
elect 
election 
electric  (5) 
electricity  (6) 
elephant  (4) 
eleven  (4) 
else 

embarrass  (7) 
emblem  (6) 
embroidery  (7) 
emerald   (7) 
emergency 
emphasize  (7) 
empire 
employ 
employee  (7) 
emptied  (6) 
empty  (3) 
enclose 


encourage  (7) 
end 

endeavor  (7) 
endurance  (7) 
endure  (7) 
enemies  (5) 
enemy  (5) 
energy  (7) 
engage 
engine 
engineer  (5) 
English  (6) 
enjoy 

enjoyable  (6) 
enough 
enter 

entered  (5) 
enterprise  (7) 
entertain 

entertainment  (6) 
entire 

entirely  (6) 
entitle 
entrance 
envy  (7) 
epidemic  (7) 
equal  (6) 
equally  (6) 
equator  (5) 
equipped  (7) 
erect  (7) 
errand  (4) 
error  (5) 
escape 
especially 


FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


43 


essay  (6) 
essential  (7) 
estate 
esteem  (7) 
estimate 
evaporate  (6) 
even 
evening 
event 
ever 
every 
everything 
evidence 
exactly  (6) 
examination 
examine  (5) 
example  (4) 
excel  (7) 
excellent  (6) 
except 
excite  (6) 
exciting   (5) 
excursion  (6) 
excuse  (4) 
exercise  (5) 
exhausted  (7) 
exhibit  (6) 
expect 

expedition  (7) 
expense 
experience 
explain  (4) 
explanation  (6) 
explore  (6) 
express 


extra 
extreme 

extremely  (7) 
eye 

F 

face 

facing  (4) 
fact 
factory 
fade  (3) 
fail 

failed  (5) 
failure  (7) 
fair 

fairies  (4) 
fairy  (3) 
faithful  (5) 
fall 

fame  (5C) 
familiar  (7) 
families  (6) 
family 
famous 
fan  (3C) 
far 

farm  (3) 
farmer  (3C) 
farther 
fashion  (7) 
fashionable  (7) 
fast  (3) 
fasten  (5) 
faster  (3) 
fat  (3C) 


father 

fatten  (5) 
faucet  (7) 
fault  (5) 
favor 

favorable  (7) 
favorite  (7) 
fear  (6) 
feast  (5) 
feather  (4) 
feature 
.  February 
feeble  (7) 
feed  (3) 
fed  (3) 
feel 
feet 
fell 

fellow  (7) 
felt 

fence  (3) 
fern  (4) 
ferry  (4) 
fertile  (7) 
festival  (7) 
fever  (5) 
few 
field 

fierce  (4) 
fifteen  (4) 
fifth 
fifty  (6) 
fig  (4C) 
fight 
fighting  (4) 


44 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


figure 

file 

fiU 

final 
finally 
find 
fine 

finger  (3) 
finish 

finished  (6) 
fire 
firm 
first 
fish  (3) 
fitted  (5) 
five 
fix 

fixing  (5) 
flag  (4C) 
flake   (5) 
flame  (5) 
flash  (6) 
flat  (6) 
fled  (6) 
flew  (3) 
flier  (6) 
flies  (3) 
fiight 
float  (3) 
flock  (5) 
floor  (3) 
flour  (3) 
fiower 
flutter  (5) 
fly  (3) 


flying  (6) 
folks 
follow 
fond  (3) 
food  (3) 
foot 

football  (6) 
for 

forcible  (7) 
forehead  (5) 
foreign 
forenoon 
forest  (6) 
forget 

forgotten  (6) 
fork  (3) 
form 

former  (6) 
fort  (5) 
fortieth  (6) 
fortunate  (6) 
fortune 
forty 
forward 
fought  (4) 
found 

foundation  (6) 
fountain  (7) 
four 

fourteen  (5) 
fourth 
fox  (4) 
fraction  (5) 
fragrant  (5) 
frame  (6) 


France  (5C) 
frantic  (7) 
fraud  (6) 
free 

freedom  (4) 
freeze  (4) 
freight  (6) 
French   (6) 
frequent  (6) 
frequently  (6) 
fresh  (7) 
Friday 
fried  (6) 
friend 
fright  (6) 
frighten  (4) 
frigid  (6) 
frog  (3) 
from 
front 

frontier  (7) 
frost  (4) 
frown  (4) 
frozen  (5) 
fruit   (4) 
fry  (3) 
fuel  (4) 
fulfill  (6) 
full 

fun  (3) 
fund  (7) 
funny  (3) 
fur  (3) 
furious  (7) 
furlough  (5C) 


FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


45 


furnish  (5) 

given  (4) 

grape  (5) 

furniture  (6) 

glad 

grass  (6) 

further 

glass 

gratitude  (6) 

future  (6) 

glimpse  (6) 

grave  (4) 

G 

• /  A  \ 

gloomy  (6) 

gravel  (4) 

glorious  (7) 

gray  (3) 

gain  (4) 

glory  (7) 

great 

gamble  (6) 

go 

greedy  (4) 

garage  (4) 
garden  (3) 

goat  (4) 

green  (3) 

God 

grew  (4) 

gas  (5) 

goes 

grief  (5) 

gasoline  (5) 

going  (3) 

grizzly  (5) 

gate  (3) 

gold 

groceries  (5) 

gather  (4) 

gone 

grocery  (4) 

gave 

good 

ground 

geese  (3) 

goodby  (4) 

group  (7) 

general 

goose  (3) 

grove  (6) 

generally  (6) 

got 

grow  (4) 

generous  (5) 

government 

growing  (4) 

genial  (7) 

governor  (6) 

growl   (5) 

gentle  (5) 

gown  (6) 

grown  (4) 

gentleman 

grab  (4) 

growth  (6) 

genuine  (6) 

grabbed  (4) 

grudge  (7) 

geography   (4) 

grade  (4) 

guarantee  (7) 

German  (5) 

gradually  (6) 

guard   (4) 

get 

graduate   (6) 

guardian  (7) 

getting 

grain  (5) 

guess 

geyser  (7) 

grammar  (5) 

guest 

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gra,Tid 

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grandma  (3) 

gum  (3) 

gingham  (7) 

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girl 

grandpa  (3) 

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give 

grant 

gypsy  (5) 

46 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


H 

heard 

holiday  (4) 

habit  (4) 

heart 

hollow  (6) 

had 

heat  (4) 

holly  (4C) 

hadn't  (3) 

heaven  (5) 

holy  (6) 

hail  (6) 

heavily  (6) 

home 

hair  (3) 

heavy  (5) 

homely  (5) 

half 

heed  (6) 

honest  (4) 

hall  (3) 

height 

honey  (5) 

hammer  (4) 

held 

honor 

hand 

hello   (6) 

honorable  (6C) 

handful   (4) 

helmet  (6C) 

hook  (4) 

handkerchief  (5) 

help 

hop  (3C) 

hang  (4) 

hen  (3) 

hope 

happen 

her 

hoping  (5) 

happily  (5) 

here 

horizon  (7) 

happy 

hero  (4) 

horrible  (7) 

harbor  (6) 

herself 

horrid  (5) 

hard 

hid  (3) 

horse 

harness  (5) 

hide  (3) 

hospital  (5) 

harvest  (5) 

high 

hot 

has 

higher  (3) 

hotel  (5) 

hasn't  (4) 

highest  (5) 

hour 

haste  (7) 

hill  (3) 

house 

hat 

him 

how 

hatched  (5) 

himself 

however 

hate  (7) 

hinge  (6) 

huge  (7) 

haul  (4) 

hired  (4) 

human 

have 

hiring  (4) 

hundred  (4) 

haven't  (4) 

his 

hung  (6) 

having  (3) 

history 

hungry  (4) 

hay  (3) 

hit  (3) 

hunt  (3) 

he 

hitched  (5) 

hurried  (5) 

head 

hoarse  (5) 

hurry  (4) 

health  (6) 

hold 

hurt 

hear 

hole  (3C) 

husband 

FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


47 


ice 

idea  (5) 

idle  (5) 

if 

ignorance   (7) 

ignorant  (6) 

ill   (3) 

I'll  (5) 

illustrate 

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imagine  (5) 

immediate 

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immigrant   (7) 

importance 

important 

impossible 

imprison 

improve  (5) 

improvement 

in 

inch   (6) 

incident  (7) 

include 

included  (6) 

income 

increase 

indeed 

Indian  (4) 

indignant  (7) 

indulged  (7) 

industry  (5) 


inform 

isn^t  (4) 

information 

issue 

initial  (7) 

it 

injure 

Italian  (5C) 

injury  (5) 

its 

ink  (3) 

itself 

innocent  (6) 

insect  (5) 

J 

inside 

jack-rabbit  (5) 

inspect 

jail 

instant  (6C) 

January 

instead 

Japanese  (5C) 

instinct  (7) 

jealous  (7) 

instruction  (6) 

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intellect  (7) 

Joan  of  Arc  (5C) 

intelligent  (6) 

job  (3)  . 

intend 

join  (4) 

interest 

journal  (7) 

interested  (5) 

journey  (4) 

interrupt  (7) 

judge 

into 

judgment 

introduce  (6) 

juice  (6) 

introduction  (6) 

July 

invent  (5) 

jump  (3) 

invention  (7C) 

jumping  (3) 

investigate 

junction  (7) 

invitation 

June 

invite  (4) 

junior  (5) 

Irish  (6C) 

just 

iron  (4) 

justice 

irregular  (7) 

irresistible  (7C) 

K 

irrigate  (5) 

Kaiser  (6C) 

is 

keep 

island  (5) 

kelp  (5C) 

48 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


kept  (4) 

late 

kerosene  (7) 

laugh  (3) 

kettle  (5) 

laughed  (4) 

kill 

launch  (7) 

kind 

laundry  (7) 

kindness  (6) 

law 

king  (4) 

lawn  (4) 

kiss  (3) 

lay- 

kissed  (3) 

lazy  (4) 

kitchen  (5) 

lead 

kite  (4) 

leaf  (3) 

kitten  (4) 

lean  (4) 

knee  (5) 

leap  (6) 

kneel  (5) 

learn 

knew 

least 

knife  (4) 

leave 

knit  (4C) 

lecture  (7) 

knitting  (6) 

led 

knock  (4) 

ledge 

knot  (5) 

left 

know 

leg  (3) 

knowledge  (6). 

leisure  (7) 

known 

lemon  (3) 

length 

L 

less 

labor  (6) 

lesson 

lady- 

let 

laid  (4) 

letter 

lake 

lettuce  (4) 

lamb  (5) 

liberty 

lame  (3) 

library  (5) 

land 

license  (7) 

large 

lick  (3) 

last 

Ue  (3) 

life 

lift  (4) 

light 

like 

Lincoln  (5C) 

line 

liquid  (6) 

list 

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lit  (4) 

little 

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loaves  (5) 

local 

log  (3) 

lonesome  (5) 

long 

look 

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lose 

loss 

lost 

lot 

loud  (4) 

love 

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loving  (4) 

low 

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lunch  (4) 

lying  (3) 


FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


49 


M 

machine 

machinery  (7) 
mad  (3) 
madam 
made 

magazine  (6) 
maiden  (6) 
mail 

majority- 
make 

making  (4) 
mama  (3) 
man 

manage  (6) 
manager  (4) 
manner 

manufacture   (6) 
many- 
marble  (4) 
March 
march  (4) 
marine  (7C) 
mark  (4) 
market   (4) 
marriage 
married  (5) 
marry  (5) 
mask  (5) 
mass  (7) 
master  (3) 
match  (5) 
mate  (5) 
material 
matter 


May- 
may 
maybe 
mayor 
me 

meadow  (5) 
meal  (5) 
mean 
meant 
measure 
meat  (5) 
medal  (6) 
medicine    (5) 
medium  (6) 
meet 

melon  (5) 
member 
memorize   (6) 
memory  (5) 
men 
mention 
merchant  (6) 
mere 

merely  (5) 
merrily  (7) 
merry  (5) 
message  (5) 
messenger   (5) 
met  (3) 
metal  (6) 
Mexican  (5C) 
mice  (3)    ^ 
middle  (4) 
midst  (7) 
might 


mile 

milk  (3) 
mill  (3) 
million  (5) 
mind 
mine 

mining  (6) 
minute 
mischief  (5) 
Miss 
miss 

mission  (7C) 
mistake  (6) 
modern  (6) 
moisture  (6) 
molasses  (6) 
moment  (5) 
Monday 
money 
monkey  (4) 
monks  (5C) 
monster  (6) 
month 
moon  (3) 
more 
morning 
mortgage  (7) 
moss   (3) 
most 
mother 
motion 
motor  (4) 
motorcycle  (6) 
mountain 
mouse  (4) 


50 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


mouth  (5) 

neighbor 

now 

move 

neither 

nuisance  (5) 

mow  (4) 

nephew  (4) 

number 

Mr. 

nervous  (7) 

nurse  (3) 

Mrs. 

nest  (4) 

nut  (3) 

much 

net  (5) 

mud  (3) 

never 

0 

muddy  (3) 

new 

oak  (4) 

muscle  (6) 

news 

oats  (4) 

museum  (7) 

newspaper 

obedient  (6) 

music  (5) 

New  York  (5) 

obey  (3) 

musician  (6) 

next 

object 

must 

nice 

objection 

my 

nicely   (5) 

oblige 

myself  (5) 

nickel  (4) 

obtain 

niece  (7) 

occupy 

N 

night 

occur  (6) 

nail  (4) 

nine 

ocean  (4) 

name 

ninety  (6) 

o'clock 

narrow  (5) 

ninth  (6) 

October 

nation  (6) 

no 

odor  (6) 

national 

noble  (6) 

of 

native  (6) 

nobody  (4) 

off 

natural  (6) 

noise  (4) 

offer 

nature  (4) 

noisy  (4) 

office 

naughty  (4) 

none 

official 

navy 

noon 

often 

near 

nor 

oil  (5) 

nearer  (3) 

north 

old 

nearly 

northern  (5) 

olive  (6C) 

neat  (3) 

nose  (3) 

omit 

necessary 

not 

omitted  (6) 

neck  (4) 

nothing 

on 

need 

notice   (5) 

once 

needle  (4) 

November 

one 

FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


51 


onion  (4) 

only 

open 

opening  (5) 

operate  (6) 

opinion 

opponent  (7) 

opportunity  (7) 

opposite   (7) 

or 

orange  (4) 

orchard  (5) 

order 

organ  (3) 

organization 

organize 

original  (7) 

ornament   (7) 

orphan   (6) 

ostrich   (3) 

other 

ought 

our 

ourselves   (4) 

out 

outside 

over 

own 

owner  (4) 

P 

page 
paid 

pail  (4) 
pain  (4) 


paint  (5) 
painted  (4C) 
pair 

palm  (4) 
pan  (3) 
panic  (6) 
papa  (4) 
paper 
parade  (5) 
parcel  (5) 
parents  (6) 
park   (3) 
part 

particular 
party- 
pass 

passenger  (4) 
past 

pasture  (3) 
patch  (4) 
path  (4) 
patience  (6) 
patriot  (5C) 
patriotic  (6C) 
pattern  (6) 
pause  (4) 
pavement  (5) 

pay 

peace  (5) 
peach  (3C) 
peaches  (4) 
peacock  (5C) 
peanuts  (4) 
pear  (5) 
pearl  (5) 


peculiar  (7) 
pedal  (6) 
pen  (3) 
pencil  (3) 
people 
perceive  (7) 
percentage  (6) 
perfect 

performance   (7) 
perhaps 
period 

permanent  (7) 
permission  (6) 
permit  (6) 
person 
personal 
pet  (3) 

Philadelphia  (6) 
phrase  (6) 
physical  (7) 
physician  (7) 
piano  (5) 
pick  (3C) 
picked  (5C) 
picnic   (4) 
picture 
pie  (4) 
piece 
pier  (5C) 

pig  (3)      . 
pigeon  (3). 
pile  (6C) 
pillow  (5)   \ 
pine  (5) 
pink  (3)        i 


52 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


pioneer  (7) 
pitcher  (5) 
pitiful  (5) 
place 
plain  (6) 
plan 

plane  (6) 
planned  (5) 
plant 

planted  (4C) 
play 

played  (3C) 
playing  (3C) 
playmate  (4) 
pleasant 
please 
pleasing  (7) 
pleasure 
plenty  (6) 
plural  (7) 
pocket  (4) 
poem  (4) 
poetry  (6) 
point 
poison  (5) 
pole  (4) 
police 
political 
politics  (7) 
polls  (7) 
pony  (4) 
poor 

popped  (4) 
poppies  (4C) 
popular 


population 

porch  (4) 

position 

positive  (7) 

possible 

post 

potato  (5) 

poultrj^  (7) 

pound 

pour  (6) 

powder  (4) 

power 

practical 

practice   (6) 

prairie   (7) 

pray  (4) 

precious  (6) 

prefer 

preliminary 

premium  (7) 

preparation  (6) 

prepare 

present 

president 

press 

pretend  (6) 

pretty 

prevent   (6C) 

previous  (7) 

price 

pride  (6) 

primary 

prince  (4) 

principal 

principle 


print 
prison 

prisoner  (5) 
private 
privilege  (6) 
probably 
proceed 
process  (6) 
program  (4) 
progress 
prominent  (5) 
promise 
promoted  (5) 
prompt 
pronounce  (7) 
proper 
property 
protect  (6) 
proud  (6) 
prove 
proved  (5) 
provide 
provision 
public 
publication 
publish 
pull  (3) 
pump  (4) 
pumpkin  (5) 
puncture  (4) 
punish  (5) 
pupil  (4) 
puppy  (3) 
purchase   (5) 
pure   (6) 


FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


5B 


purpose 

purse  (5) 
pursue  (7) 
push 
put 

Q 

quail  (5) 
quality  (6) 
quantity  (6) 
quarrel  (4) 
quarter  (5) 
queen   (4) 
queer  (4) 
question 
quick  (5) 
quickly  (6C) 
quiet  (5) 
quietly  (5) 
quilt  (3) 
quit  (4) 
quite 

R 

rabbit  (4) 
race 

radish  (5) 
rags  (3) 
railroad 
rain 

raining  (4C) 
rainy  (4) 
raise 

raisin  (5C) 
raising  (6) 
rake   (4) 


ran 

ranch  (5) 

rang  (3) 

range   (6) 

rapid 

rapidly  (5) 

rat  (3) 

rate 

rather 

reach 

read 

ready 

real 

realize  (6) 

really 

reason 

receipt 

receive 

recent 

reception  (7) 

recess   (3) 

recipe   (7) 

recite  (5) 

recognize  (7C) 

recollect  (5) 

recommend 

record  (6) 

recover 

red 

Red  Cross  (3C) 

refer 

reference 

refusal  (6) 

refuse 

refused  (6) 


regard 
region 

regular  (7) 

relative 

relief 

relieve  (5) 

religion  (6) 

remain 

remedy  (6) 

remember 

remind  (6) 

rent  (6) 

repair 

repeat  (4) 

replied  (4) 

reply 

report 

represent 

request 

require   (5) 

rescue  (5) 

resemble  (6) 

respectable  (7) 

respectfully 

responsible 

responsibility  (7) 

rest 

restaurant  (7) 

restrain 

result 

retire 

return 

review  (4) 

reward  (6) 

ribbon  (4) 


54 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


rich  (4) 

S 

scholar  (5) 

ride 

sad  (3) 

school 

riding  (4) 

saddle  (5) 

science  (7) 

rifle  (4) 

safe  (4) 

scissors  (6) 

right 

safely  (4) 

scold  (7) 

ring 

safety  (6) 

score  (6) 

ripe  (3) 

said 

Scotch  (7C) 

rise  (4) 

sail 

scouts  (6C) 

rising  (4) 

sailor  (4) 

scratch  (5) 

river 

salad  (6) 

scream  (4) 

road 

salary 

sea 

roar  (5) 

sale  (5) 

seal  (5) 

roast  (5) 

salmon  (6) 

search 

robe  (6) 

salt  (6) 

season  (4) 

robin  (3) 

salute  (5) 

second 

rock  (3) 

salvage  (6C) 

secret  (5) 

rode  (3) 

same 

secretary 

roll  (3) 

sand  (3) 

section 

roof  (4) 

sandwich  (5) 

secure 

room 

San  Francisco  (5C) 

see 

rope  (3) 

sat  (3) 

seed  (3) 

rose  (3) 

satisfactory  (7) 

seek  (5) 

rough  (5) 

satisfy  (6) 

seem 

round 

Saturday 

seen 

route  (5) 

savage  (4) 

select 

row  (3) 

save  (4) 

self  (3) 

royal 

saving  (3) 

selfish  (5C) 

rubber  (4) 

saw 

sell  (6) 

rubbish  (6) 

say 

senate 

ruin  (6) 

says 

send 

rule 

scare  (3) 

sense  (5) 

run 

scatter  (6) 

sent 

running 

scene 

sentence  (5) 

rush  (5) 

scenery  (7) 

separate 

Russian  (6C) 

scheme  (7) 

September 

FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


55 


serious 

servant  (6) 
serve 
service 
session 
set 

settle  (5) 
seven 

seventh  (6) 
several 
severe  (4) 
sew  (5) 
sewing   (5) 
shadow  (3) 
shall 

shame  (6C) 
shape  (5) 
share  (4) 
sharp  (4) 
she 
shed 

sheep  (4) 
shelf  (3) 
shell  (5) 
shepherd  (5) 
shine   (3) 
shining  (6) 
ship 

shock  (5) 
shoes  (3) 
shone  (5) 
shook  (4) 
shoot  (6) 
shop  (3) 
shore  (5) 


short 

shot  (5) 

should 

shoulder  (5) 

shout  (6) 

shovel  (3) 

show 

shown  (5) 

shut 

sick 

side 

sight 

sign  (4) 

signature  (7) 

silent  (4) 

silly  (4) 

silver  (4) 

since 

sincerely 

sing  (5) 

singular  (7) 

sink  (4) 

sir 

sister 

sit 

sitting  (3) 

situated  (6) 

six 

sixth  (5) 

size 

skate  (4) 

skill  (4) 

skin  (5) 

skinned  (5) 

sky  (3) 


sled  (3) 

sleep  (3) 

sleeve  (5) 

slept  (5) 

slide 

sling  (3C) 

slippery  (5) 

slowly  (5) 

sloyd  (5C) 

small 

smell  (4) 

smile  (4) 

smoke  (4) 

smoking  (6) 

smooth   (6) 

snake  (5) 

snow  (3) 

so 

soap 

society  (7) 

soft 

softly  (5) 

sold 

soldier  (5) 

solemn  (6C) 

solid  (5) 

some 

somebody  (4) 

something 

sometimes 

son 

song 

soon 

sorrow  (5) 

sorry 


56 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


sort  (5) 
sound  (4) 
soup  (3) 
source  (5) 
south 

southern  (5) 
souvenir  (5) 
sow  (3) 
space  (5) 
spade  (5) 
speak 
special 
speech  (6) 
speed  (6) 
spell 
spend 
spent 
spirit  (6) 
splendid  (6) 
spoke  (5) 
spool  (3) 
spoon  (3) 
sport  (6) 
spot  (4) 
spread  (6) 
spring 
sprinkle  (4) 

spy  (6C) 
square  (4) 
squirrel  (5C) 
stable  (5) 
stack  (5) 
stairs  (4) 
stamp 


star  (6) 

starch  (6) 

stare  (4) 

start 

state 

statement 

station 

stay 

stayed  (3) 

steady  (6) 

steamer 

steep  (4) 

stepped  (3) 

stick  (4) 

stiff  (5) 

still 

stocking  (5) 

stole 

stomach  (4) 

stone 

stood 

stop 

stopped 

store  (4) 

stories  (3) 

storm  (5) 

Story 

stove  (4) 

straight  (5) 

strange  (5) 

stranger  (3C) 

straw  (6) 

strawberries  (6C) 

street 

stretched  (5) 


strictly  (6) 

strike  (6) 

string  (3) 

strong  (4) 

struck 

stuck  (4) 

student  (6) 

study 

studying  (4) 

stuff  (5) 

stung  (6) 

style  (6) 

subject 

submarine  (6C) 

success 

such 

sudden 

suffer 

sufficient  (7) 

sugar  (4) 

suggest 

suit 

summer 

summit  (6) 

summon 

sun  (3) 

Sunday 

sunk  (5) 

sunny  (4) 

superintendent  (7) 

supper  (3) 

supply 

support 

suppose 

sure 


FIFTH,  SIXTH,  SEVENTH  GRADES 


57 


surely  (5) 

tease  (6) 

thirsty  (6) 

surf  (5C) 

teeth  (5) 

thirteen  (4) 

surface  (6) 

telegram  (7) 

thirty  (6). 

surgeon  (7) 

telegraph  (7) 

this 

surprise 

telephone  (6) 

those 

suspicious  (7) 

tell 

though 

swallow  (3C) 

temperature  (7) 

thought 

sweater  (5) 

tempt  (6) 

thousand  (4 

sweet  (3) 

ten 

thread  (6) 

swim  (4) 

tent  (4C) 

three 

swimming  (4) 

tenth 

threw  (4) 

swing  (3) 

term 

thrift  (6C) 

sword  (4) 

terrible 

throat  (5) 

sympathy  (7) 

territory  (6) 

through 

system 

terror  (7) 

throw 

testimony 

thumb  (5) 

T 

than 

thunder  (5) 

table 

thank 

Thursday 

tag  (3C) 

Thanksgiving  (5) 

thus 

tail  (4) 

that 

ticket 

take 

the 

tide  (6) 

taking  (4) 

theater 

tie  (4) 

tale  (3) 

their 

tied  (4) 

talk 

them 

tiger  (6) 

tame  (4)  • 

themselves 

tight  (4) 

target  (4) 

then 

till  (3) 

tariff  (7) 

there 

timber  (6C) 

taste  (5) 

therefore 

time 

taught  (4) 

these 

timid  (5) 

tax 

they 

tin  (3) 

tea  (3) 

thick  (4) 

tinfoil  (4C) 

teach 

thief  (6) 

tip  (3) 

teacher 

thing 

tipped  (4) 

team  (4)    . 

think 

tire 

tear  (5) 

third 

tired  (4) 

58 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  SPELLER 


to 

tobacco  (6) 

today 

toes  (3) 

together 

told 

tomato  (6) 

tomorrow 

tongue  (3) 

tonight 

tons  (6C) 

too 

took 

tooth   (5) 

top 

tore  (6) 

torn  (6) 

tossed  (5) 

total 

touch  (4) 

tourist  (6) 

toward 

town 

toy  (3C) 

track 

trail  (6) 

train 

training  (6C) 

tramp  (5) 

transfer  (7) 

trap  (4) 

travel 

traveler  (5) 

treasure 

treasury  (7) 


tree 

trenches  (5C) 

trick  (4) 

tried  (3) 

trip 

trolley  (4) 

troops  (7C) 

trouble 

truck  (5C) 

true 

truly 

trunk  (5) 

trust 

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try 

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THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OP  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  50  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.00  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


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NOV   21   18*5 

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UGV  i 


UMIV.  OF  CAU! 


MAY  2  3  2007 


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LD  21-100>n-7,'33 


Yd   Ho4do 


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